Suburban Legends
by Hitomi Zotz
Summary: A serial killer from NYC has appeared in Miami near Halloween, killing their victims by copying urban legends. Det Ridley Moon who worked on the case in NYC is sent down to help investigate. Horatio discovers she's hiding more than info to do with the case and may be linked to a past case of his in NYC. Can he help solve her case before the killer gets too close?
1. Chapter 1- Don't Look Back

Amelia Greene tensed in the soft, leather car seat and glanced at Jesse King shyly before turning her attention to the gloom outside. She knew where Jesse wanted to go, to a private but well known spot at the top of the hills overlooking one of Miami's infamous beaches. It was a sad cliché, two high school students driving in the night like secret lovers heading to one of the better known make-out points. As it was nine o'clock Jesse reasoned that it was too early for a crowd, and it was a Tuesday night, not a popular night for driving up to the hills for the sole purpose of making out.

Amelia wasn't keen on the trip but she feared discovery more than suffering a lengthy journey up to the windy sand hills. Jesse was Amanda Steel's boyfriend after all and Amanda's spies were everywhere, worse still was that Amanda was the head cheerleader of Sun Burrows High and therefore quite capable of making Amelia's life hell if she found out about the betrayal. Amelia couldn't resist Jesse though, he was cute, charming, athletic, intelligent and, most importantly, he was generous to his women.

She watched a few car lights flash past along the moderately busy road and then the 9:10 bus before the traffic started to thin as the car began to wind its way up the road to the hills at last and the scenery became dense trees, rocks, yellow grass, sand and dirt, all coated in shades of black and grey with hints of the half moonlight that peeped out from behind a cloud. The hills weren't particularly high; in fact Amelia was fairly sure most of them had started as dunes save the hill they were venturing up now; it had to have something more solid than sand supporting it for there to be a road, right? Plus there were trees; trees needed dirt and stuff, right? Amelia wasn't sure, biology and geology weren't exactly her strong points. The slender brunette had only two interests at school- gymnastics and music.

They finally reached the top and Jesse turned off the engine with a small grunt of satisfaction. He turned to Amelia with a cocky, somewhat suggestive smile before clicking off his seatbelt and leaning in for a kiss as the belt slipped up his shoulder. Amelia responded in kind, pressing into his soft lips eagerly. She frowned a little when instead of the expected hand sliding up her skirt, he sat back suddenly.

"I need a piss," he grumbled. Seeing the annoyance that flashed in her blue eyes he added hastily, "sorry, it was a long drive. I won't be long."

"Jesse it's dark out there," Amelia moaned as she glanced out his window with uncertainty.

"Lock the doors then," Jesse retorted mockingly with a smirk. "I'll knock three times when I return so you know it's not a nut from the bushes."

"Jesse don't joke," Amelia retorted sternly as she glowered over at him.

Jesse just laughed, waved his hands and made a 'woo' noise before he hit off the car lights so the car didn't beep when he opened the door and slipped out into the night.

The air was muggy, uncomfortable for the young male to breathe in especially with the salt and sand hanging in it. They were long due a storm to relieve the heaviness of the climate and Jesse found himself wishing that the breeze would drop as it was warm and only served to sprinkle sand in his eyes. He glanced about for a good spot to urinate, reasoning that it didn't matter much since there was no one around before he staggered over to a small group of palm trees.

Amelia waited impatiently in the now locked car and contemplated hitting the radio on before she realised Jesse had taken the car keys in his pocket. She sighed, flopped back in her seat and tugged out her phone, going online to check out the gossip. She scanned through several people's pages, commenting on her friend Abby's post about her new dress, before a knock came. She jumped in surprise before looking out to the gloom but it was impossible to see anything outside the car.

KNOCK. KNOCK. Two bangs on the metal door. She reached tentatively to the button beside Jesse's seat that opened the doors. KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK. The bangs came frantically, violent and fast. KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.

Amelia froze in horror and was about to yell when everything fell silent. Suddenly she realised that there was something odd about the banging, and her eyes rolled upwards as she realised what it was. Something had been banging on the roof! Terrified she looked to the backseat, there was an old, navy blanket there Jesse kept to spread out on the sand when he was at the beach with Amanda.

Amelia considered that Jesse might just be trying to scare her but when the banging started again she decided that she was better safe than sorry and moved in a low, quick movement to the backseat, taking care to keep below the window line.

BANG! BANG! BANG! It was there again, frantic knocking on the roof. She pulled the blanket over herself as she hid in the backseat, tugged out her phone and dialled the police.

"911, what's your emergency?" a female's practised, calm speech called out.

"Hello," Amelia croaked in a hushed voice, "look I'm on the hills near Burrows Beach, just off East Point Road, I'm in my boyfriend's car and I think someone's out there."

"Okay, stay calm, what's your name and what do you mean you think someone's out there?"

"Amelia Greene, look my boyfriend went to pee and now there's something banging on the roof of the car and I don't think it's him! Please send someone!"

BANG! BANG! BANG!

"Okay, just stay on the line."

BANG! BANG! BANG! The metallic thuds pounded through Amelia's head causing her to whimper and whisper pleas with each one. When the banging stopped she wanted to feel relief but she didn't have the chance as suddenly there was a much more bone chilling sound. The car doors clicked open.

* * *

Dawn always seemed to look beautiful in Miami, the sky was pink and gold, the sun was bright on the horizon but not yet high enough to scald and the clouds were soft and tinged in rose and lilac. Today was no different, the sky still looked warm and calm promising another clammy mid-autumn day, but down below was a different scenario.

A blue Ford Mustang, fifth generation, was part of a grisly murder scene, completely intact save for a few scratches and minor dents it was also partially supporting a very much dead young male on its roof. The boy, one Jesse King, identified by his bank card, was hanging by a noose from a sand pine's branch, his feet resting near the right side of the car's roof.

Timothy 'Speed' Speedle looked at the scene with slight intrigue as he snapped photographs. "This seems familiar," he murmured, prompting a curious glance from his superior.

"Two victims," Lieutenant Horatio Caine summed up.

"Two?" Tim interrupted.

"Back here," Dr. Alexx Woods, the medical examiner, commented as she leaned back from the open, back, left door, "poor honey fought with all she had but it did her no good in the end."

"Who is she?" Tim quipped as he moved round for a better look. There was a girl hanging half out of the door, face up, eyes frozen in horror, throat open and exposed, and several deep slash marks showing on her chest and torso.

"Amelia Greene," Horatio retorted calmly, "she made the call at 21:42; she told the operator she was in her boyfriend's car and that she thought someone was 'out there', she then explained that her boyfriend had exited to urinate and she could hear a repetitive banging on the car roof but she didn't think it was him."

"I guess she was wrong," Calleigh Duquesne, the day shift Assistant Supervisor, commented calmly in her soft, Southern tone as she stood with her hands on her hips assessing the scene.

"Dead wrong," Horatio remarked dryly as he stepped closer to the deceased Jesse King and glanced up at him calmly through tinted sunglasses.

"Wait, she said she heard banging on the roof and it was him?" Tim exclaimed in surprise as he stood up to stare over at Calleigh and Horatio.

"That's the idea," Horatiro retorted calmly, "but we'll have to find out if it really was what she heard."

"Light breeze last night," Calleigh murmured, "not really strong enough to swing a corpse."

"No, I mean, H," Tim protested, "Calleigh, doesn't this remind you guys of anything?"

"Not really Speed," Calleigh retorted with a mild look of confusion in her bright blue eyes.

"Urban legends," Speed explained dryly with a glimmer of dark amusement in his brown eyes, "come on; this one was old when I was at school. A guy and a girl are out in a car, then the car breaks down or they stop somewhere. The guy gets out to go look for help, warns the girl to lock the doors and says he'll knock so many times when he returns. She hears a noise on the roof all night and hides, then the next morning the police come and lead her out of the car telling her not to look back but she does and there's her boyfriend, hanging above the car and the sound was either his shoes or ring hitting the roof."

Horatio gave a slight frown as he contemplated the idea. "The difference in this scenario is that the police didn't arrive in time and Miss Greene didn't get to walk away."

"She did try to hide though," Alexx commented sympathetically, "under a blanket in the back seat, it just wasn't good enough to keep you safe poor thing."

"No sign of forced entry," Calleigh murmured.

"The 911 operator said the last thing Miss Greene screamed was 'they've got the keys', then the line went dead," Horatio explained, still calm.

"You unfortunate girl, you must have been so scared," Alexx soothed to the corpse, "and you too," she murmured as she looked up to Jesse King, "both so young."

"They took their time to hang Mr King but not the girl," Calleigh observed, "did they not realise she was there and got spooked? Saw her on the phone maybe?"

"There were several bangs on the car, Miss Greene called 911 because she heard something outside on the roof and didn't think it was her boyfriend," Horatio stated as he walked round the scene. "So either the killer hung around after hanging Mr. King and his body made the noise, or they made the noise, the question is why? And how long did it take Mr. King to die? Judging from the bruising on the back of his skull it's probable he didn't die on a noose."

"Well get him down and we can learn more," Alexx suggested. "Judging from the blood and the depth of the wound, it was the slash on the throat that killed this sweet girl, she was stabbed in the chest and stomach first, but she fought back, look at her hands, there's swelling on her knuckles and bruising on her knees, she fought for her life."

"But she didn't win," Horatio replied as he stared down at the scared looking girl. "Well we will need to inform the next of kin, and start working out why these two were up here, from when and who might have known about it and, most importantly, who and what killed them."

Tim moved around taking photos, to him this job was just a pay check; he did not share his team's enthusiasm for the work but, though he would never admit it, there was something interesting about a case that mirrored an urban legend, especially with Halloween just a few weeks around the corner. He paused and looked to Horatio curiously, wondering if he should voice his thoughts. "Halloween's coming up," he decided to risk it, "and this is like an urban legend, could there be a link?"

"Some sick killing for a holiday?" Alexx quipped in a disapproving manner.

"It's possible Speed," Horatio allowed, "but let's stick to what we know for now rather than speculate."

Tim nodded and the group continued with their work.

"This could be a hint," Alexx murmured, as she tugged out a playing card from between Amelia's thighs. It was the Ace of Spades.

"That can be a symbol of death to some people," Horatio commented quietly.

"A literal calling card?" Calleigh marvelled in disbelief. "It's a bit cliché."

"Still a clue," Horatio murmured.

* * *

By midday Tim had moved on to a different case with Eric, the teenagers' parents had shown up to the Miami-Dade Police Department to see their children, and an interesting call had trickled all the way down from New York City. If it hadn't come from a reliable source Horatio might have questioned it but after listening through it and realising he had little choice over the matter, he had given his consent for a detective to come down from the upstate city, though he had made his disapproval clear on the manner.

It was absurd and around this time of year for this type of case he knew the Miami-Dade team would only make jokes, how could they not? Detective Ridley Moon, he had been informed, was a detective who had been, as Detective Mac Taylor had described politely, 'shafted' with cases with occult, supernatural and somewhat bizarre appearances. It was not something she had held any interest in but rather people had found it amusing to pass the cases to her because she hailed from Sleepy Hollow of all places and her surname was 'Moon', it had just seemed too easy to mock her.

It had all been humorous until a rather strange serial killer had appeared in New York City; it had seemingly started when a teenage girl babysitting had phoned the police to complain about being terrorised by creepy phone calls. In the tradition of the urban legend the girl and her three young charges had all been found slaughtered, and the calls were traced to the house's phone. The killer had only left one clue, the Ace of Spades playing card.

Mac had explained that Detective Moon and her partner Detective Silver were assigned to the case. Relatives, friends and past convicts in the area were all suspected and interrogated but no one was ever convicted for the brutal killings though there was a conclusion that it had been the father. The three children had all had an insurance claim taken out of them just weeks prior to the killings but without any hard evidence it had all been circumstantial and the case against him had fallen apart.

Within two weeks of the babysitter murders another killing had occurred. This time it had involved a girl named Mary being found with a mirror smashed over her head, there had been three scratches on her right arm as well, and the same trademark playing card at the scene. Things had continued in this fashion for a couple of months, every two weeks there would be a death, sometimes the connection to an urban legend was vague or the legend was a local one not widely known across the country but the Ace of Spades had always been present. In the end, Detectives Moon and Silver had gotten close to unmasking the killer, or so they had believed, only for Detective Silver to pay with his life and the evidence to turn cold. Detective Silver had died in a bloody fashion, hacked to death, he had been found in his car but evidence had suggested he had died elsewhere and suffered greatly first. After that the strange killings in the city had stopped.

Mac had concluded his grim tale by informing Horatio that the information that the Ace of Spades was at the scene of every death had never been leaked to the public to prevent copycat killings and also because it was the only tangible evidence they had to link the cases as different weapons and methods of killing were involved in each case.

Mac had added that, despite failing to solve the case, Detective Moon remained the expert on the matter, he had then relayed the information that a higher power had suggested she was sent to Miami to investigate this latest event. It was in part to stop a repeat of the murders that had occurred in New York but also an attempt to move her on to a change of scene in the hopes of helping her. The case had become her obsession after her partner's murder and she had become withdrawn, cold even, and it was evident she did nothing but work on the case. It had made Horatio think she was better off the case but he had kept his opinion to himself.

The redhead had decided in the end that they could let her come down, if she was hostile and/or too obsessive she could be shunted to the sidelines or he could suggest her moving on, or perhaps taking leave. He might effectively be having her forced on him but he would still be in charge. Besides, if she did have experience with this it could be useful and he wasn't foolish enough to turn away help but he privately thought it was a bit of a stretch to imagine a serial killer coming from New York to Miami to reoffend. Yet, it was not beyond the realms of possibilities, serial killers always did reoffend, they couldn't resist it, and the cops had gotten close in New York, so the killer had to leave but for Miami? And could they really be good enough to evade the police for so long?


	2. Chapter 2- Victims

Detective Ridley Moon cursed as the lid on her coffee cup slid off with her sudden braking causing cold coffee to splash all around the front of her banged up Mustang. She clenched the steering wheel tight, closed her eyes, let out another curse and then turned the engine off, oblivious to the looks she was getting for her somewhat violent and abrupt parking. All she cared about was that she was in a space, the fact that her car was slightly diagonal and the space was marked for one Lt Caine meant little to her. Screw him and screw his space, if he couldn't be here on time he didn't deserve his damn space. She glanced at the clock in the centre of her dash, it read 09:10, hell he was ten minutes late, double screw him then. The detective frowned as she glanced up at the mirror before she pushed her dark fringe back from her face in an attempt to compose herself.

"That's got to be our New Yorker," Calleigh commented brightly from across the car park as the detective exited from the car. Calleigh stood staring at the new arrival from behind her large, brown framed shades with a small smile on her fair face.

"How can you tell?" Tim queried sardonically in disinterest as he studied the Nikon camera in his hands.

"Asides from the casual disregard for parking, and the angry driving her clothes kinda give it away," Calleigh informed him as her smile widened. The detective definitely did not look like a local, lacking the expected golden glow of the Miami sun on her skin, the necessary sunglasses and the slightly more relaxed look of someone who had beaches, swamps and palm trees as part of their daily life. She bore a scowl on her face and looked slightly frazzled as she stormed in the direction of the Miami-Dade headquarters.

Tim glanced up briefly, giving into a mild curiosity brought about by Calleigh's words. He estimated the detective around 5'6, and took in that she was fair skinned with long, dark brown hair that hung in neat, glossy waves over her shoulders. She wore a long sleeved, pale blue shirt tucked neatly into a navy skirt with the sleeves rolled up at the elbows. Her skirt was tight at the waist and flared out above her knees revealing skinny, long legs that ended in pointed, brown shoes with low heels. It was all little too stylish and preppy for Miami.

"Not quite designer," Calleigh purred as she continued to observe, "but still the style of the city. Although, not what you'd expect a detective to be wearing."

Tim had to agree with that, if he had been interested enough to give it some thought he would have expected a suit- stylish and neat, with a longer skirt, maybe a waistcoat, and a little more expensive and less suited to the weather than Calleigh's.

Ridley continued on oblivious to the onlookers and entered the large, busy building. She presented herself to the receptionist with a calm stare and introduced herself politely. "Morning, I'm Detective Moon, I've been sent down from New York to follow up a case." She took a quick note of the stack of papers on the receptionist's desk, the fern tree dying in the corner, the unpleasant looking, plastic, black seats for visitors and the crisp, clean look of the desks, tiles and walls suggesting either a new building or a recent makeover.

The middle aged brunette blinked up at her curiously, taking in the hard edge in the detective's grey-brown eyes before she keyed the information into the screen in front of her. She knew who the woman was, rumours had spread like wildfire of a woman from Sleepy Hollow coming to chase up urban legends. This close to Halloween it was hard not to gossip and joke about it. After entering a few details she unlocked the drawer to her right and produced a plastic pass left there attached to a blue ribbon. "Here you go," she said cheerfully as she held it up to the detective, "head up to the second floor, I've activated your clearance as far as there. Third door on the right."

"Thanks." Ridley accepted the pass, wrapping the ribbon about her left wrist once before clutching the card in her hand and heading on her way, blatantly ignoring the curious looks she earned as everyone wondered if she was the detective from Sleepy Hollow. The heat was making her skin itch as it debated over sweating or simply burning. Miami, it had sounded nice on paper- sun, beaches, palm trees and better weather than New York, but now that she was here she was less sure. 'Why here?' she wondered dubiously as she headed for the stairs.

She made it upstairs to a pleasant, large, neat office with a wall that was made of tinted windows allowing her to appreciate the golden glow of the Miami morning sun without being blinded by it. She paced over the off-white tiles impatiently, glancing around the room for clues as she did. Of course it was impeccable, no evidence lying around and no hints of the member of staff who regularly used the office save for a brown stained coffee cup, a frequently used computer with a screen that needed a dust, and a few abandoned pens.

Ten minutes later and Ridley's loneliness was finally abated by the man whose parking space she had stolen- Lieutenant Horatio Caine. He stepped into the room with ease, took off his Ray-Bans and pocketed them in his front jacket pocket, one stem down in the pocket securing them temporarily. He looked at her curiously with his piercing blue eyes, trying to get the measure of her. There was no suggestion in his demeanour that he knew or cared that she had taken his parking space.

Ridley was younger than Horatio had anticipated; late twenties at the very most, her preppy clothes only added to her youthful appearance but did not match up with her severe expression. The gold coin necklace at her throat was equally ill-suited as it suggested a woman interested in appearance and trinkets, a woman who could show off her personality some of the time, not a straight laced detective interested in business only. Horatio wondered if maybe it was as simple as she was not what he had been expecting.

"Detective Moon, I'm Lieutenant Caine," he greeted calmly. "I see you found us okay."

She nodded as she took him in swiftly with a brief, scrutinising glance. "I did, I'd say nice to be here but that's not true, these are hardly ideal circumstances," she commented coolly.

"No but crime rarely is. I was informed it's possible a recent murderer of ours might be one of yours, one you have...a certain familiarity with?" He looked at her questionably, spying the unease in her eyes before she hid it.

"Tell me, was there an Ace of Spades at the scene?" she queried, already knowing the answer. She wouldn't be here so soon if there hadn't been some telltale signs that it wasn't just another serial killer jumping on the idea of urban legend killings.

Horatio nodded, his expression calm as he masked his emotions.

"And were the victims' photographic ids missing?" she pried.

Horatio nodded again, slower this time as he continued to hold her gaze. "As far as we are aware anyway, Mr. King's parents confirmed he always kept his licence in his wallet but Miss Greene's parents are not entirely sure if she would have had id on her or not."

"Then there's no maybe," she admitted wearily as she held back a sigh and folded her arms, "it's the same person. They left the Ace of Spades at every scene and took photographic id when possible, or photographs in some cases, some sick trophy I assume. It was information we were very careful to make sure wasn't leaked to the public, that way we could tell the copycats apart from the original."

"And this person also killed a cop, your partner, correct?" Horatio went straight to the point with ease like it was no big deal. He was eager to see her reaction, an honest reaction, which he would hopefully get whilst she was jet lagged and still caught up in being new to town.

Ridley flinched at the question before nodding and turning to stare out at the sea shimmering in the distance. "Detective Justin Silver," she murmured quietly as she subdued her emotions, "he was murdered three months ago and then it all just stopped." She wouldn't confess it to Caine but the image of Justin's mutilated corpse haunted her still.

"And why do you think it's started again? And why here?" Horatio demanded. He knew she was probably eager to see the evidence but he wasn't going to be helpful until he had gotten all the information he could from her. It might have once been her case but now it was his, she was just along for the ride because he had had little choice in the matter.

She shrugged as she turned back to face him at last, her calm, cool, professional mask back in place. "I don't know, I assume they fled because we got too close or they thought that after killing a cop we would get too close. Why Miami I couldn't say, maybe they have family down here or a hideaway, right now your guess is as good as mine. As for why it's started again, maybe we just weren't aware of anymore killings until now but I doubt it, believe me, I've kept an eye out. More likely they've got an urge they can't deny any longer," she concluded icily.

Horatio frowned; she wasn't giving him anything he hadn't already gathered from the case files that had been faxed down. "I thought you were the expert on this."

Ridley gave him an angry look before she once again forced herself to calm down. "They killed my partner, believe me if I had any extra information that could bring them down I would have put it to good use already. Truth is I don't even know if there's one or two of them, male or female, it's different weapons in each case and different victims; nothing is consistent except that they follow urban legends. Alright, so far no victims over the age of fifty, none under three, and no signs of gun usage, but that's about it. Then there's the taking of the photographs and the leaving of their trading card so there's no mistaking it for a copy kill. For such violent kills you would think they would have slipped up by now but they haven't, they're methodical, they don't strike on a whim, and they know who their victims are long before they kill them. It seems sudden and sloppy but it's not, they plan all this very carefully."

Horatio nodded, knowing that if he pushed further she would only get frustrated and there was no point in beginning on the wrong foot with her. "Alright, well let's go take a look at the evidence we have Detective Moon."

* * *

It took three hours to go through all the evidence and the case to date. These three hours also involved introductions for Ridley to the medical examiner Alexx Woods, the fingerprint, drugs, tyres, and underwater expert Eric Delko, ballistics specialist and day shift Assistant Supervisor Calleigh Duquesne, and a still unimpressed traces and impression expert Timothy 'Speed' Speedle. Only Calleigh actually seemed sincerely welcoming to the New Yorker, Eric and Alexx were polite whilst Tim couldn't even feign that much.

Ridley didn't show much interest in the corpses, accepting that it was a single blow to the head that had killed the male and a knife that had killed the girl. The consensus by the Miami CSIs was more than one killer as it seemed highly unlikely that the two teenagers were killed with different weapons by one killer, all at the same scene on the same night and yet for all the hours of searching there was still no evidence to indicate even one killer never mind two. Ridley had shrugged at the theory, admitting that they had never been entirely surely if it was just one or several people involved in the murders.

After the gruelling three hour session they headed back to Horatio's office, as a group, to discuss the outcome, this time with much needed coffee in hand.

"So, are you really from Sleepy Hollow?" Eric blurted out to Ridley as he stood in the middle of the office staring at her. He had held his curiosity in at the laboratory but for the three hours he had wondered about it, giving Ridley what he had mistakenly thought were subtle looks of inquisitiveness as he had burned to ask her about the rumours.

"Way to deviate from the topic at hand Eric," Calleigh chided teasingly as she occupied a seat opposite Horatio's desk and crossed her legs.

Ridley looked to the cute half-Cuban, relieved to have him finally ask what he had evidently being wondering about her for the past three hours, and nodded. "Yes, I left when I was eighteen and no, I never saw a headless horseman there."

Eric looked disappointed as he queried, "would that count as an urban legend? I mean it's based on a book, right?"

"Based on a book based on a legend," Ridley explained, trying not to sound tired as she did, "headless horsemen cropped up long before Washington Irving and not just in Sleepy Hollow." She was exhausted but determined not to show it before the alert CSIs.

"Anyway," Horatio interrupted, "we need to continue with this investigation. Eric, Calleigh, go take another look at our crime scene. Speed, you and Yelina have a potential homicide to investigate at the Miami Palms Hotel. As for you Detective Moon, perhaps you would do me the honour of accompanying me to look into who exactly our victims were."

Ridley nodded as she hastily banished the thought of bed.

Tim, who remained near the door, looked a tad irritated at being ordered onto another case.

"Alright," Calleigh retorted confidently, "our killer's good but he must have left something behind other than a calling card."

As they started to move out of the room Ridley quipped, "whose car?"

"Mine," Horatio retorted calmly, "even though you're in my space Detective Moon you're still just along for the ride."

Her lip twisted slightly as she resisted the urge to grin, refusing to allow him to think she was amused by his words. Instead Ridley replied mockingly, "well I hope your driving is better than your time keeping."

* * *

At 13:25 Lieutenant Caine and Detective Moon arrived at 143 Silver Oaks Street, the modest, two storey, white washed building Jesse King had called home. The car journey had taken just under an hour thanks to the lunch time rush and had been spent in what was a relaxed silence for Horatio but an uncomfortable one for Ridley. Ridley had spent the journey staring out the window at the Miami landscape and wondering where the hell autumn was in this city. As if the heat wasn't bad enough she had gotten used to gloomy grey skies and rain in New York, the sunshine was jarring to her system and truthfully, she actually liked the grim grey of New York autumn, and she did not welcome this change.

They stepped out of the car and were greeted at the porch by Jesse King's pallid, teary eyed mother. She was somewhere in her late forties, a greying dark haired woman with tanned skin starting to age from sun showing wrinkles and sun spots. After a brief greeting she granted them entry reluctantly only after being assured by Horatio's quiet but firm words that seeing their home could help find Jesse's killer.

Mrs. King led the investigators up a green carpeted hall to a door on the left, which she paused outside with a choked back sob. "I'm sorry," she stammered out with a shake of her head, "but I can't go in there yet, not until my boy's home one last time." She turned from them without waiting for a reply and hastened up the hall.

Ridley glanced up at Horatio serenely, even in heels she was still a good three inches shorter than him.

"Ladies first," he said politely with a gesture to the door.

Ridley, who was wearing a pair of plush, red gloves that were highly inappropriate for the weather but at least stopped her from leaving prints, pushed down the handle and opened the door.

"You know we're not treating this as a crime scene," Horatio reminded her.

"I know," Ridley retorted softly as she stepped into the room, "but it seems wrong leaving prints in a dead stranger's room, I know he doesn't care but I do. Besides, it might become a crime scene soon."

The female detective glanced about the room curiously, pausing before a couple of photos stuck onto the off-white right wall sloppily with blue-tac. "Who's the blonde?" she queried aloud as she gestured to three photos that showed Jesse with his arm wrapped around a blonde girl wearing a cheerleader's costume. She glanced over the photos, and gestured to another one showing Jesse, the blonde, another male and two other girls, one of which was Amelia Greene, who was between the blonde and another girl. "Mr King and Miss Greene look like they barely know each other," Ridley murmured.

"No, it looks like he was on better terms with the cheerleader," Horatio commented sardonically as he gave the room a scrutinising stare. "Definitely better terms," he mused as he glanced down at an abandoned set of red pompoms half-hidden beneath a pile of dirty laundry.

"They were on a low hill, alone and aloof from the world, a secret rendezvous," Ridley surmised, "but someone knew they were going to be up there." She glanced up at Horatio again. "I told you these killings are planned, they're not random, the killer knew Mr King and Miss Greene would be up there on that night, which means they were being watched long before."

Horatio nodded in agreement, it was guesswork still but if the cheerleader was Jesse's girlfriend then he had been seeing Miss Greene in secret, which would explain the remote area where they had been murdered. It was an odd area for a killer to lurk in the hopes of someone randomly appearing on that particular night, the killer had to know they would be there.

"You know Detective Moon I think you might be right," the redhead said brightly, "this could be as much a crime scene as the hill. Someone was planning this pair's death, someone was watching them and knew they were going to be together, and when, and where."

Ridley gave a blunt nod as she frowned round the room. "It's the same as all the other deaths," she said. She spoke matter-of-factly and Horatio wondered if it was because she was so used to the violence of the cases that she had grown numb to them or if she was making an effort to appear professionally indifferent.

"We found a trace amount of evidence once," she continued frostily as she rested her hands on her hips, "in a case with a girl called Mary. Mary had had her eyes poked out and her tongue cut out with the shards of a mirror. We traced the mirror to an antique shop but the person who bought it was a red herring, a homeless man called Bryce. Bryce said he found a letter in his den with a small amount of money, it told him to buy the mirror and where to leave it in exchange for money. Curious, Bryce did it and true enough more money appeared. The letter was typed, we tried to trace it and the bills but got nothing, and we searched round where the mirror was left but nothing again. As for Mary, she turned up in the bathroom of an abandoned textile factory, she had been missing for three days before she was found thanks to an anonymous tip, I can't imagine she would have ever been discovered if not for the tip."

"They wanted an audience," Horatio guessed.

"Yep," Ridley retorted, still sounding indifferent, bored even, "that's how I know they've been quiet until now, if the bodies aren't found an anonymous tip leads us to them, every time. Mary was the second kill; we made the link to the first thanks to the Ace of Spades card. You know I think it's one of the few things that swayed the jury into believing Mr. Gail hadn't killed his three kids and their babysitter. Case number one, it's an old urban legend, a girl is babysitting, then she's harassed by phone calls and they're traced to inside the house and the kids end up dead. You know I think it's because we were ready to convict Mr. Gail that Mary was killed so soon after, the real killer couldn't stand the idea of someone else getting all the credit."

"And there was no evidence of the killer's identity at any of these scenes, none at all?" Horatio pressed in disbelief.

"Nothing that led anywhere, sometimes I think some of the evidence was deliberately left to lead us on a goose chase, Justin thought the same." She looked sad then with a degree of guilt in her grey-brown eyes. "He was victim number ten."

"Ah yes, and which urban legend was his death following?" Horatio pried. He had read up on the case file on that and there was a lot that hadn't added up. The late detective had been found in his car but the evidence had suggested that he had died elsewhere but where? And why had he been put in his car?

"It looked like killer in the backseat," Ridley answered flatly. "Well, you're in charge here," she swiftly changed the subject, "do we attempt a thorough search now for evidence or let someone else do it and move on to Miss Greene's home?"

"We'll find out what we can for now."

They left Jesse King's room after a further thirty minutes of study and talked with Mrs King again. From Mrs King they learned that there were security cameras at the front and back of the home due to vandals. Horatio requested a copy of the security tapes before he and Detective Moon carried out a brief search around the property. There were footprints and tyre tracks but nothing to suggest an intruder. Stubbed out cigarettes at the back of the house belonged to Jesse, they had identified quickly in his room that he was a smoker, and a trampled flowerbed was explained away by Mrs King as an accident on her part. If there was any evidence it had likely been tampered with unwittingly by the home's residents and Ridley was very confident that the security cameras wouldn't offer any further clues.

After another twenty minutes on the property they finally headed on to Miss Greene's home. By now Ridley was sticky with the heat, her cheeks were red, her skin was soaked in a thin, unpleasant layer of sweat and she was curious as to how the many scantily clad women they drove by seemed immune to the weather, lacking frizzy hair and sweat stains.

Miss Greene had lived half an hour's drive away from Mr King, in a modern but modest home built close to its neighbouring buildings and lacking a front garden. They pulled up on the smooth, grey drive and Ridley was quick to note the first odd thing of the day as she stepped out of the car- a multi-coloured lantern hanging out from the porch had one of its panes broken.

"Could be nothing," she admitted aloud even as she looked up at it with intrigue, it was a quirky oddity against the modern backdrop.

"Or it could be something very important," Horatio mused though he too doubted it. Why would a killer who had been so careful and clever for years make such a rookie mistake? Unless it was deliberate. It was infuriating that the redheaded lieutenant didn't know enough about his mark to venture a guess. All he knew was that Detective Moon was definitely withholding something about this disturbing business and that he found it extremely hard to believe that the entire New York Police Department had failed to turn up any concrete evidence against this creep.

After ringing the doorbell twice they were greeted by a sunken eyed, grim faced man somewhere in his late forties.

"Good afternoon, I'm Lieutenant Caine and this is my colleague Detective Moon," Horatio introduced politely with a small, brief smile.

The man glanced at the gold badge gleaming off Horatio's belt before looking to Detective Moon with suspicion. She frowned back before yanking out a silver badge and flashing it briefly before pocketing it again, hoping he hadn't glimpsed N.Y.P.D on it.

"You here about Amelia?" he queried as anger burned in his brown eyes. "When are we getting her home huh?"

"Tomorrow," Horatio answered calmly.

"Then why are you here?" the man demanded. "She didn't get cut up here."

The man's breath reeked of whiskey, a smell Ridley knew all too well, and she noted the flush at his cheeks and the blurriness of his bloodshot eyes, the man had been drinking for at least a couple of hours.

"No," Ridley retorted smoothly, "but we're hoping we can find something that will help us find who did it."

"Something here?" he snapped back angrily.

Ridley nodded whilst Horatio interjected, "sir if we could look around we could get a better understanding of Amelia."

The man's scowl deepened but he opened the door wider anyway. "Fine."

"One question Mr Greene," Ridley began.

"Blair."

"Pardon?"

"It's Mr. Blair," he explained moodily, "I'm her stepfather, well I was."

"Right, what happened to the lantern Mr. Blair?" Ridley queried as she gestured up to it with one hand.

"What does that matter?" he snapped as he scowled at it. "Stupid, ugly thing, don't know when or how it got broke, don't much care either. Come in if you're coming in but leave me in peace." He turned away from them and stormed up the hall.

Ridley stepped in first murmuring cynically, "sadly that's the best offer I've had all day."

Horatio and Ridley surveyed the house with ease as they walked through it. The hallway was a mess with toys discarded everywhere and abandoned magazines and newspapers cluttering a small cabinet, which also had a wireless phone abandoned on it. Empty crisp packets littered the kitchen along with numerous beer tins, and wine, vodka and whiskey bottles. Amelia's room was the cleanest in the house but just as untidy as everywhere else. In Amelia's room there were dirty clothes on the floor hiding half-open books, forgotten pens and open handbags. Everything looked used and old, the clothes were evidently second-hand, and some had loose threads and patchworks. It was in here that Ridley turned up the best find- Amelia's diary, hidden under two pillows.

The New Yorker opened the diary without hesitation and flipped through the perfume reeked pages briskly, frowning and lingering over certain entries before she snapped it shut.

"Learn anything from your prying?" Horatio queried lightly.

"Her stepfather in there beat on her and her mum," Ridley replied coldly, "and he is a violent alcoholic. It's how she became involved with Mr King, whose girlfriend was head cheerleader Chrissy apparently. Mr King noticed some of Miss Greene's bruises, started asking questions, and became the sympathetic shoulder for her to lean on. One thing lead to another, and according to this they were seeing each other in secret for about four weeks now, all while he was still dating Chrissy. Her last entry was done the morning of her death; she was all excited about her and Jesse's plans to drive up to the hill that night." Ridley's expression darkened at the thought of the girl's excitement being turned to horror so easily whilst Horatio looked interested. Ridley was getting past exhaustion now and she knew her fatigue was causing her to struggle to keep back her emotions.

"So their rendezvous was not only pre-planned, presumably as early as the evening before if she was writing about it that morning, but she wrote it in there, in a diary she hid under her pillows with no other protection."

Ridley gave a heavy nod. "I know..." She glanced down at the diary. "Maybe it'd be worth learning if someone had an opportunity to get in here that day, I didn't see any security cameras."

"Maybe you're right but I don't think Mr. Blair would be willing to let us do such a thorough search and I doubt we would get a warrant for it. This search you and I are doing now is as good as it gets."

Ridley sighed. "They could have been here, right where we are standing, I mean even if Mr. Blair never left he might have been in enough of a stupor to never know."

"Do you really believe this killer stalks and intrudes upon his victims on such a personal level every time with no one knowing?" Horatio demanded with a dubious glimmer in his cerulean eyes.

"I know how it sounds; I've been ridiculed, disciplined and threatened with suspension enough times over this asshole," Ridley retorted frostily.

"Was anyone else ever put on the case?" Horatio queried calmly.

Ridley flashed him an angry look before giving a reluctant nod. "A few times, Justin and I were still left on the case but we were the figureheads and the scapegoats for a while, the ones for the press to name, shame and blame. No one else made any better headway than we had and no one else wanted their names tarnished with such a public and bloody failure so the case always came right back to us."

"I see, well we don't fail down here."

"We'll see Lieutenant Caine."


	3. Chapter 3- A Night at the Circus

"One week she's been here and what has she helped with?" Eric complained to Calleigh. "I mean sure she went with Horatio to look into Miss Greene and Mr King, but any of us could have done that and all we know is that they were having a secret rendezvous that night."

The pair were in the office at Eric's desk reading through urban legends online. Every time the door went Eric shrank the page quickly and Calleigh glanced up with curious blue eyes before they assured themselves that it wasn't Horatio and assumed their reading.

Calleigh answered with a classical beautiful Southern smile, "by all accounts our guy is just that good. I read up on some of the New York files, other detectives were involved up there and none of them did any better than Detective Moon."

"That's exactly my point," Eric complained as he looked up at Calleigh from his seat, "she wasn't any good on the case up there so why does anyone think she'll be any use down here?" It was hard for him to keep focused on the case business given Calleigh's close proximity. The beautiful blonde was standing beside him, her right hand pressed down on the back of his chair as she leaned down to glance at the screen. Every time Eric looked up it was hard to hide his lust as he took in her attractive curves, long, golden hair and perfect fair skin. Truthfully it was more than lust, he adored Calleigh, everything about her was great, she was smart, pretty, funny, good at her job, tough and had a quick wit but she was a workmate and a friend, two lines Eric knew he shouldn't cross, if he tried something and it didn't work out...well there was a friendship ruined and a work relationship strained.

"She's nice enough you know, a bit reserved but I've talked to her a couple of times and she's doing her best," Calleigh remarked kindly.

Eric shook his head chidingly as he clicked the mouse down. "Killed by a rat in her hair, that's just disgusting," he commented, deliberately ignoring Calleigh's words, before clicking the button for the next article.

"Hmm seems more like a lesson in vanity rather than a horror story," Calleigh murmured.

"Well Detective Moon has another week if the guy's sticking to his patterns," Eric murmured, "and three until Halloween."

"Well we aren't doing any better, Alexx concluded the type of bat that killed Mr. King and the knife that probably killed Miss Greene but the only tracks in the area that aren't Mr. King's we can't identify, no witnesses have come forward and we've gone through Miss Greene's 911 call a dozen times but there's nothing helpful."

"I know, all I got from that was that that poor girl did not go quick," Eric muttered. "Honestly, these legends are just strange, disappearing hitchhiker, I wonder how someone could make that work, I mean if you kill the witness how does anyone know it was a hitchhiker?"

"Eric."

"Yes?"

"Don't wonder," Calleigh advised, "some questions are better left unanswered."

"And some need answered," Horatio commented as he approached them stealthily.

Eric couldn't hide his surprise as he shrunk the window on the computer screen hastily. 'How the Hell was he so quiet?' Eric pondered in both annoyance and admiration.

Horatio gave him a sly smile as he halted on the other side of his chair and quipped, "doing some research Eric?"

"Anything that can help us H," Eric answered brightly.

"Anymore joy?" Calleigh questioned hopefully.

Horatio placed his hands on his hips and shook his head. "I think there is something we're missing, something they missed in New York, something that links this all up. We've all dealt with serial killers and there is a reason, not necessarily something anyone sane can understand but it's there, a reason for the victims they choose, a reason for killing them, a reason for when, why and how and this guy is no different. The calling card, the Ace of Spades, it's not a clue, it's a sign of ego, when he thought the credit for his first kill was going to someone else he struck again and left the card for a second time, and a guy with an ego is a guy who slips up."

"Are you saying Detective Moon missed something?" Eric queried lightly. He enjoyed seeing Horatio in action, it was impressive to see him start to form a puzzle together and made Eric more than a little proud to have him for a boss.

"Maybe," Horatio murmured, "or," he paused and dipped his shades down slightly to look at the computer screen and the article Eric had brought back up, "or she didn't but she didn't realise it was a clue."

"What do you mean H?" Eric asked eagerly. "Do you have something already?" He grinned widely at that thought. "That would be great, solving something in a week that all of New York couldn't in months."

Horatio grinned wryly at that thought before relaxing his stance and shaking his head. "No, nothing substantial enough to give us a killer, just a thought. We need to look at this right from the beginning again, starting with when we think our killer made his first appearance, almost six months ago." His grin vanished as he glanced thoughtfully at the date in the bottom right corner. "Six months...Eric bring up the article about Brenda White and the Gail children, when did that happen?"

Eric obeyed readily, searching for the story and clicking on the first article that appeared. "April 10th," Eric mused.

"Six months ago today," Horatio murmured.

"Wait, you think he's going to celebrate that?" Calleigh quipped. "I mean that would break with the pattern of every two weeks."

"Why do we keep saying he?" Eric queried defensively. "It could be a woman or several people; in fact I'm betting on at least two, one person couldn't be an expert in so many weapons."

"It's an angle Ridley looked into with Detective Silver," Calleigh mused as she looked to Eric, "they researched all the experts in town, and those who had a skill in a few of the weapons at least but given that axes and bats were used a few times, I mean that could mean a fireman, a butcher or a baseball player helping out, they couldn't check out everyone, just say the firemen who also played baseball and the butchers who worked part-time as locksmiths, it was all pretty scant in the end."

"I want everyone on the alert today and tonight, the pattern might be every two weeks but that was in New York, this is Miami and patterns change," Horatio instructed.

"Alright H," Eric assured.

Horatio nodded before heading back towards the doors. "I'll be with Alexx if anyone needs me."

It was a brief trip down to the morgue that was Dr. Woods' home away from home. Her personal touch with the bodies Horatio found oddly charming whilst Ridley had found it creepy and made for a quick exit. Today Alexx had one body ready for inspection and two more waiting but the attractive dark haired woman's attention was elsewhere.

She was sitting at her desk studying a collection of gruesome photographs with intrigue; they were copies from New York, sent down by Detective Mac Taylor at Horatio's request along with all the notes about the murder. "Well Alexx, what do you think?" Horatio queried as he walked up to the desk and took off his shades to look down at the mutilated body of Justin Silver.

"Compared to the others," Alexx commented gently, "this one seems to have a more personal touch."

"What do you mean?" Horatio pried though he thought he had an idea.

"Well, the others were bad and some our killer took their time with but this, extra effort was put into this, more than with poor Mary Violet. You know Miss White and the Gail children was clean, the killer didn't waste their time on anyone but with Mary it was violent, he gouged out her eyes and cut off her tongue, or they, could be a woman doing this you know. It was like they were angry and trying to make a point of it."

"I agree," Horatio murmured.

"Then all the killings that followed they were...well they were bad but they seemed a little cleaner and quick, no messing around, like it was just business, a sick thought I know but then Detective Silver here, it's like with Mary only worse. Our killer made Mary suffer but I don't think it was personal but with Detective Silver, it was definitely personal." She gestured down to a photograph that showed him on a cold, metal table at a morgue, and pointed at his bare arms. "Repeated slashing, but none deep enough to kill, he wanted Detective Silver to hurt and then here, on his right palm, there's a red mark, I couldn't make it out in this photo so I blew it up on the computer and reprinted it." She pushed several sheets out of the way to reveal a photograph of an open palm with several cuts on it and one blurred, red mark.

Horatio peered at it closely and frowned. "What is that?"

"I don't know," Alexx confessed, "it's some sort of imprint, that's for sure, but it's tiny, and not clear, the coroner's report mentioned it but it was nothing they could make it out or recognise, circular and smaller than a penny."

She gestured to the right at a collection of photos from the scene of the crime. "This is the car where the body was found but definitely not where he died. There just wasn't enough blood to suggest it but what's odd about it is there wasn't anything near the car either, it's like the killer dumped his body in the car, and then drove it elsewhere. I know body dumps aren't rare but his body was left in the front driver's seat, as you can see, rather than the boot, and the car was on the side of a main road outside the city, easy to find. The windows were tinted mind. I've looked it over and to me the evidence suggests the body was in the back first and then moved to the front, but not in the boot and weirder still, look at him, look how he's positioned."

Horatio leaned down to the photos and studied them intently. "Head back against the seat and a blanket over him, like someone cared."

"Exactly, it's all wrong, the violence of the attacks suggests some strong emotion- hate, envy, annoyance, anger, but the way the body was left suggests affection, maybe the admiration of an adversary but I'd even suggest genuine care."

"Well the road the car was found on was a main road but it was remote and the time scale of the coroner suggests that car was there all night before anyone found it. There were no cameras nearby to pick it up and no one knows what Detective Silver was doing in the area, his widow said he told her he was working but the force said he wasn't doing any shifts that night. The last known footage of him was around three o'clock that evening driving out of the city alone. You know Alexx, out of all the cases we have on this urban legend killer this one doesn't fit."

"I know what you mean Horatio," Alexx agreed as she gave him an empathetic look, "but Detective Silver was different to the other victims, he was actively pursuing this guy, maybe he just got too close and our killer decided to make an example of him."

"Yes but it doesn't fit, the urban legend it's meant to resemble is the killer in the backseat but what urban legend was it actually meant to be? I can't imagine our killer would re-enact one legend with Detective Silver and then change it to another. He put thought and planning into all his other kills, this was no exception. No, something is terribly wrong with this scene and we need to find out what."

"Don't you think Detective Moon would have exhausted everything on this case? He was her partner after all," Alexx reminded the redhead.

Horatio gave the dark skinned woman a cool look. "You know Alexx something about Detective Moon doesn't add up either, I believe she wants the case closed at all costs and her revenge for Detective Silver too but there is something she's hiding."

"Why?" Alexx pondered with a puzzled look. "She must be desperate for it all to end and if the killer went after Detective Silver so violently surely she could be next."

"That's the thing Alexx," Horatio remarked calmly, "our killer left her and came here, that made her safe until she came down after him, it was a risk for him to take if he definitely wanted Detective Moon, of course after what the killer did to Detective Silver perhaps Detective Moon dogging him was a certainty. Still, something isn't adding up here. I think it's time to do some digging on Detective Moon."

* * *

Ridley Moon had thought she knew nightclubs; New York had quite a selection after all though admittedly it had been a good few months since she had been in one, but this was something else. She stood beside her flatmate Ruby Thibodeaux gawking up at scantily clothed barmaids climbing up a tower of bottles like they were rock-climbing. At certain requests they strapped a harness on and scaled the shelves carefully, never seeming to flinch or hesitate no matter how high they had to go, then, when they had their expensive prize in hand, they leaped off and swung down elegantly, grinning as they did. Bottle girls Ruby called them, the higher they went the more expensive the bottle and the greater the paycheque for the night.

The club itself was a fanfare of sparklers, cheering, dancing, singing and revelry, like most stylish nightclubs it made an art of debauchery turning drunken shame into wish fulfilment, promising more excitement and fun with each drink.

"Satan must run a bar," Ridley commented dryly, "it would certainly earn him a lot of sinners."

Ruby missed the remark as she was too busy waving a tanned hand in the air whilst she cupped her other hand around her mouth and hollered at the barmaid scaling the tower of bottles.

"Really, I'd think he runs a church, religion seems to be the real gig of clever evil, asking people to pay for their salvation, and promising them eternal peace simply by praying."

Ridley turned at the voice and gave Timothy Speedle a small smile. "Small city," she replied sardonically.

He gave her a small smile back, glad that his religious mockery had not been taken seriously; perhaps he had finally found a woman with a sense of humour on par with his own. He had been surprised to spot her in the nightclub, standing near the bar with an elegant, crystal flute glass in hand, eyeing the women with something akin to admiration mixed with scorn. Unable to resist a chance to get to know the New York detective out of work hours, he had made his way over, although truthfully, at the moment, he was more interested in the tall, skinny redhead she was with.

"It is if Miami CSI knows you," Speed retorted calmly, unsure if he was joking or not. Certainly Horatio seemed to have a knack for tracking down whoever he wanted and there was little that escaped Calleigh's attention.

"I don't think they know me just yet," Ridley answered amicably before catching Ruby's eager blue stare.

Ridley looked well for the evening, clad in a flattering red dress that flared at the bottom just above the knees and was low cut at the top yet not to the point of advertising everything, not that she had much to advertise save for the gold coin necklace. Her dark hair was down in loose curls, her eyes had a flattering smoky eyeshadow on them and her bare arms, chest and legs seemed to shimmer with a faint, silvery glitter that Ruby had insisted she apply, especially since she lacked a tan, which was apparently a major faux pas in a Miami club.

In comparison to Ruby however she was pretty but ignorable. Ruby was tanned, glittered and shining from head to toe, her short, choppy, bright red hair shone like silk; her eyes sparkled with gold, crystals and gold dripped from her neck down to her almost exposed bosom which was shielded by a gold bralet, which in turn allowed her toned stomach to be shown off. Completing the outfit was a black miniskirt and glamorous black high heels with gold straps. Everything about the young woman oozed confidence and sex appeal.

"This is my friend Ruby Thibodeaux," Ridley obliged her friend with the introduction she and Speed were both eager for, "Ruby this is-"

"Tim Speedle," he interrupted as he held out his hand to Ruby, seeing how Ridley faltered over how to address him, "friends call me Speed."

Ruby grinned back at him brightly as she accepted his hand.

Speed released her hand and turned his dark stare back on Ridley. "So you have friends in Miami?" he queried with interest.

"Just Ruby," Ridley retorted, "she's my hostess while I'm down here."

"Couldn't have my Ridley in a hotel," Ruby chirped as she slung her right arm over Ridley's shoulders and pulled her close. "So Speed, are you here you alone tonight or could we entice you into a dance?" Ruby was straight to the point, something Ridley had always scorned her for.

"I'm alone," he retorted.

"I'll leave you to it," Ridley said as she took Ruby's arm off herself, "I'm a little too jetlagged for dancing but you two have fun." She grinned reassuringly at her friend before she could protest.

Speed accepted Ruby's hand and allowed her to escort him in the direction of the dance floor; he wasn't one for dancing himself but when there was such an attractive looking woman insisting on it he found it hard to refuse.

Twenty minutes went by, to Speed they flowed by like seconds, whilst to Ridley it was twenty minutes of deflecting admirers, getting her own drinks and admiring the barmaids climbing skills. Unknown to any of them it was a crucial final twenty minutes for one Abigail Mosley, a seventeen-year-old in the same school as Jesse King and Amelia Greene who was babysitting four-year-old twins Darcy and Greg Kinskey and their seven-year-old brother Glenn.

As Speed concluded his final dance with Ruby, though he wasn't to know it, Abigail Mosley made to run upstairs to the children's room in a panic only for a knife to be embedded in her skull.

Ruby broke from Speed without a word as she spied a familiar face in the crowd. "Brian!" she exclaimed gleefully before darting over to a tall, muscular, dirty fair haired man with a smooth, chiselled jaw and bronzed skin.

"A wannabe model," Ridley chirped in Speed's right ear helpfully, "and Ruby's...well Ruby's something, I don't know what they call it."

"Well I was only looking for a dance anyway," Speed commented dryly, his comfortable, cynical persona back in place.

Ridley nodded empathetically, she was perky from the champagne and more awake and upbeat than she'd been since leaving New York. It was nice just to be out, drinking, dancing and pretending that there wasn't a homicidal maniac with a flair for the dramatics on the loose. It was hard but there had to be a balance between work life and personal life, even for cops.

"What do you think of the Miami nightlife?" Speed queried. "Makes a change from barnyard dances hmm?"

Ridley gave him a sarcastic smirk in retort before replying, "firstly, I've been in the city for the last ten years and secondly, we don't do barnyard dances in Sleepy Hollow, it's a village but it's not the sticks."

"Well you're bound to do Halloween differently," Speed insisted, "it's going to be a letdown for you here, no headless horseman and all that."

"If I'm here long enough to see it," Ridley murmured, "and you know, I think I'd be happy not to see a headless guy for a change."

Speed shook his head scornfully.

Ridley glanced over at Ruby and remarked, "I think she'll be going home with Brian tonight." She looked back to Speed and added, "you should try your luck elsewhere."

He frowned at her and said hastily, "alright then." He turned to go when Ridley grasped his left arm suddenly and turned him back.

"I didn't...I mean," she flushed slightly, frowned and said, "I didn't mean it like that. Just if you were interested in Ruby is all, don't bother hanging around for her; once she's with Brian, she's with Brian."

"I get it," Speed retorted as he shrugged off her hand, "it's not a problem."

As the night wore on Ridley continued to engage Speed in conversation, they headed to the bar several times but there was no dancing. Speed was even interested enough to shrug off other would be admirers, too intrigued by Ridley's story about pranking several girls in her school at Sleepy Hollow with a headless man fashioned from a scarecrow, that she had appear in the school window one day, banging on the glass. She maintained that it had been worth the detention that followed and her mother's scorn.

It was the police on night duty who dealt with the panicked call from the Kinskey parents who told them that their babysitter had complained about a clown statue watching her and how they had warned her of an intruder and to get out of the house. When the police arrived at the Kinskey home they found a bloody scene, babysitter Abigail Mosley dead halfway up the stairs, a bloody wound at the back of her skull but no murder weapon, twins Darcy and Greg dead in their beds, their throats cut and Glenn missing.

It wasn't until four in the morning that Horatio got the unwelcome call as the police learned that he requested any unusual crimes be reported his way. At 04:10 Tim Speedle and Ridley Moon both got a rude awakening as Ridley's phone rang. She snapped it open hastily and quipped, "Detective Moon here."

"Clown statue watching a babysitter, does that sound familiar?" came Horatio's smooth retort. He didn't even sound a little tired despite having been roused from his own slumber. His sleep had been shallow; sadly he had been expecting this call and was angry that he had been unable to prevent it.

Ridley sucked in a sharp breath. "It's only been a week."

"Yes but it's also six months to the day," Horatio reminded her, "when he killed a babysitter and her charges."

"He knows I'm here," Ridley replied angrily.

"I think so."

"Where do you need me?"

"322 Lakeside Street, call a cab, it will be quicker than you trying to find it, I'll leave you home after."

"Will do."

"Good, see you soon Detective Moon."

"Soon." She snapped her phone closed and glanced over her shoulder at Speed.

He looked up at her with a degree of regret and some surprise. 'Why did I do this exactly?' he pondered dryly. 'Alright I've had a dry spell lately and she's pretty enough and if my pounding skull is anything to go by there was a lot of drink but still, this was not a good move.' She looked tired, her brown-grey eyes were sunken and it didn't just seem to be from the evening, it was like that brief phone call had exhausted her yet the way her dark curls spilled over her shoulder at she looked to him curiously was pretty and accentuated the curve of her neck and the blush at her cheekbones.

"This didn't happen," Speed stated flatly. It was rude but he had to be blunt, there couldn't be any doubts over this, if any of the team found out he would be made a mockery of for days and if Horatio found out he would probably be scorned as unprofessional.

"Agreed," Ridley replied softly as she sat upright and swung her skinny legs over the bed.

Speed looked at the slender curve of her back, stark white in the streak of moonlight that crept through a gap at the edge of his curtains. When she clicked on the lamp he frowned slightly, she had scars there, minute, pink crescents, more prominent near the bottom where the arch of her rear began.

It was strange but she had seemed, well not desperate, but eager to leave with him last night, alright he had reciprocated but he would have been satisfied with any woman, preferably Ruby or the hot blonde waitress who batted her eyes at him once before Ridley pulled him to one side, acting like she was moving him out of another patron's way, and then told him about a case in New York involving smuggled red pandas of all things. The weird thing was, and perhaps it was just his ego, she didn't seemed interested in anyone else whilst he had been a little appreciative of some women's clothes and forms, yet he wasn't so sure it was because she was super attracted to him or even that eager for sex but whatever it was he couldn't put his finger on it.

"Do you know any good cab numbers?" Ridley queried quietly.

"I can drive you to Ruby's first," Speed offered.

"It's alright."

There was something in her voice, something that just seemed off though he didn't know why. 'Maybe I'm just tired,' he reasoned, 'or hungover, or both, and on that note probably not fit to drive anywhere.'

"You're going to Ruby's first right? Going to be one expensive cab."

"Actually, I don't think Lieutenant Caine would appreciate me having to travel back to Ruby's, get changed and then meet him, could be a long wait. I have a jacket, so it won't be so bad."

"He'll know what you were doing."

"Wouldn't take a detective," Ridley dismissed his concerns, "but he won't know who with." She stood up at last, grabbed her dress and slipped it on over her shoulders.

* * *

Horatio glanced at his watch, 04:50, and then he looked up at Detective Moon who strolled in bold as brass, evidently choosing confidence to deflect everyone's judgement rather than sheepishness. "Late night Detective Moon?" Horatio queried brightly.

"Early morning," she retorted calmly, "but it's in the name, I couldn't be anything other than a night person now, could I?"

"I suppose not, well come in and have a look." He turned and led the way into the house, which had been cornered off with tape and was occupied with several police officers and surrounded by gawking neighbours and eager reporters, news certainly travelled fast in the city.

Horatio led the way into the living room and then turned to see Ridley's look, he gave a small, satisfied smile when she visibly jumped.

"Well that...that's just wrong."

There was a statue in the middle of the room, a very colourful, very disturbing, lifesize clown statue. The face was stark white with bright red lips, eyes marked in blue, and a sponge, red nose. On top was a vibrant, orange, perm wig and its clothes were colourful silks with oversized shoes.

"Porcelain, quite good and not the property of anyone here," Horatio explained.

"He...he got a statue in here?" Ridley scorned. She then shook her head and turned away from it. "I'm not surprised," she confessed, "the little touches," she grumbled, "he likes them best."

"Alexx is with the bodies, let's see them," Horatio suggested grimly.

* * *

_Thanks guys for all the reviews and favs, I really appreciate it! I hope I'm doing a good job of writing the characters, it's certainly tricky as my first CSI Miami fanfic, finding Speed particularly tricky. Anyway, please keep reading and reviewing! _


	4. Chapter 4- One Brave Boy

_Oh my goodness, thank you for all the lovely reviews! I can't believe it! To Guest, since I can't reply to your comments any other way, thank you, I'm really glad you like my OC and how I write the characters, and to Joni, thank you for your lovely reviews, I'm glad you liked learning more about Ridley and that you like my EC action and yes interesting is the word for Speed and Ridley, it's more about Ridley's character at the moment. _

_It was super random but I just got the idea to do it and went for it, though I was a little afraid of some Mary Sue etc comments but so far none, it's obviously not a OC/romance fanfic but at the same time I just can't resist having some sort of romance in my fics and stories, I just like a bit of everything no matter the genre- action, horror romance, lol I just can't resist!_

_To the rest of you, obviously I've replied to your comments because you have accounts but many thanks again for the reviews! Please keep them coming they really do help motivate and encourage me! Hopefully I'll update again soon and welcome to any new readers!_

* * *

It was just after six am when a determined Ridley finally tracked down Glenn Kinskey, his father had babbled about a false panel in Glenn's room that was used as a wardrobe but also a secret hideaway for the boy. They had searched there immediately of course but found no signs of their son. Horatio and Ridley however noted a space that indicated a missing pair of trainers, and the way clothes were crumpled in the area as if pulled down in a panic. They had begun their pursuit shortly after, leaving Alexx to the bodies, as they searched around the area. Naturally the local police had already been doing this since arriving on the scene several hours ago but with no success.

Ridley had gone with the logical that perhaps the dark, scary woods twenty minutes up the road was exactly where a young boy might hide if he was smart enough to realise people would never think a young frightened child would wander to such a creepy place. The police were certain he would have fled to a neighbour, Ridley was certain he was thinking only of evading the monster than had slaughtered his siblings and was probably terrified of leading said monster to more victims.

Now here she was under the long, grey shadows of the trees walking through Florida's speciality of swamp mud. The high heels were long abandoned and the red dress was hoisted up in both hands as she struggled on following the misshapen, small footprints that indicated a child trying to run through a swamp in sneakers. She paused upon seeing the end to her search, a small silhouette huddled on a half-sunken log trying to and almost succeeding in blending in with several bushes.

She continued on, deliberately letting her feet squelch so that he became alerted to her presence, fearing that sneaking up on him would just add to his trauma. "Hi," she greeted awkwardly. "Are you hiding from someone out here?"

Silence, well it should have been expected.

She reached the log and sat on the edge of it, maintaining a distance from him. "Well I am," she continued amicably, "think I could hide with you?"

He gave a grunt that almost sounded like a sob.

Ridley glanced about wistfully, the lightening sky was visible in patches through the trees, dawn was finally coming. "It's certainly secluded out here," she remarked calmly, "weren't you lonely?"

"All alone," he choked out.

Ridley nodded sympathetically. "You were I'll bet, all alone in the dark but you're not now Glenn, I'm here and the sun's coming."

"Who are you?" he croaked, suddenly nervous.

"I'm Detective Moon. You met someone scary tonight, didn't you Glenn? Someone who hurt your family? Well I'm here to stop that person, to make sure they're punished for what they did."

"They were covered in blood," he sobbed out as tears trickled down his dirty face, "there were bad noises, Abi screamed and...I hid."

"You were very clever doing that," Ridley praised him.

"I should've...Darcy and Greg."

"Glenn you did the right thing, you hid and that's good and important because you can help me, you can tell me about the bad person that came last night."

"Nnn...no, they'll come back."

"No Glenn," Ridley said firmly, "I won't allow that. Now look, your mummy and daddy are very worried about you, the sun's out so I think it's safe to stop hiding, can I take you back to them?"

He shook his head. "I hid and the bad man hurt Darcy and Greg."

Ridley reached out a hand to him and squeezed his left shoulder gently. "Glenn you were brave and because of what you did, your mummy and daddy still have you. Listen to me now, you are not to blame for what happened tonight." She paused for a moment, opened her handbag and plucked out the silver badge within. "Look Glenn," she said holding up the shield to him, "do you know what this is for?"

"Police men," he guessed.

Ridley grinned. "No, it's for brave, good people, people like you Glen. Why don't you hold onto it for a while hmm? You can show it to your mum and dad and they will know that you were very brave tonight." She held it out to him and he accepted it with a shaky, dirty hand. Ridley then reached out for his other hand. "Come on Glenn; let's show your parents how brave you are."

He accepted her hand reluctantly as she helped him down off the log. She tensed upon seeing a silhouette of a man just ten feet away, and gave a brief smile when she realised it was Horatio.

"Hi there," Horatio greeted the boy with a small, disarming smile as he leaned down slightly, "you must be Glenn. Hmm you must have been very brave last night Glenn to have that badge."

'How long was he standing there?' Ridley wondered as she shot him a startled look.

Glenn looked equally surprised before glancing down at the badge in his hand and nodding dumbly.

"Well Glenn, I'm Lieutenant Caine and I'm here to help Detective Moon take you back to your parents, if that's alright with you."

Glenn looked up at Ridley questioningly.

"We'll be your honour guard," she informed the boy, "every brave boy gets one."

He nodded and together the three began their trip back through the swamp and back to the Kinskey home. Glenn's parents, who had refused to be ushered off by police, despite Mrs Kinskey being in clear need of sedation, spotted their muddy son and rushed at him with sobs and screams of both joy and grief.

"You're alive, you're alive," Mrs. Kinskey choked out as tears poured down her face.

Ridley went to release the boy's hand but he clung tightly to her, almost shrinking back from his mother. "I...I hid mummy," he confessed guiltily.

"Oh Glenn that was good," his mother praised as she fell to her knees and flung her arms around him, "that was right, you did the right thing."

It took twenty minutes before the Kinskeys could be persuaded to leave the scene and go to hospital so their son could be checked over and Mrs. Kinskey could be treated for shock. It was only thanks to Lieutenant Caine telling Glenn that he obviously was so brave no one needed a badge to tell that, that Glenn surrendered the badge back to Ridley.

After that they returned to Alexx and the bodies and examined round the crime scene before the bodies were finally packaged up for the morgue. As the morning wore on they worked on exploring the origin of the clown statue, agreeing that Glenn could be questioned later in the day after he had been examined and treated. The task of the clown statue was assigned to Speed who came and took several photos of it, pointedly ignoring Eric's jibes that he looked like he had a 'late one', and avoiding eye contact with Ridley.

When morning hit afternoon, Horatio finally called time on the crime scene, they had gathered all they could and could return to it if necessary. Whilst Calleigh and Alexx went to the morgue to investigate the potential murder weapon, Speed dealt with both prints and the clown statue with help from Eric, and Horatio took Ridley to a nearby diner for some much needed coffee.

* * *

"So Detective Moon what are your thoughts?" Horatio queried calmly as he peered at Ridley through his sunglasses.

Ridley leaned forward slightly, holding his gaze as she was determined not to look intimidated. She knew what was going on, this was no simple morning coffee break, this was an interrogation. She was in Lieutenant Caine's territory and he was her lift home, unless she decided to bolt and get a taxi they would be staying in the diner for as long as he decided.

"Glenn Kinskey is our best lead, since he hid chances are he didn't see anything but if we're lucky he did hear something," Ridley retorted coolly.

"And what about the clown statue?"

"It will be a red herring just like Mary's mirror," Ridley answered confidently.

"Maybe not, our killer placed it in the house. Something I'm wondering about, when did he put it there? The Kinskeys obviously didn't see it but it had to have been there the moment Abigail stepped into the room or she would have known there was someone in the house."

"Mrs Kinskey was sobbing about how Miss Mosley was such a sweet girl she even made cookies for her every time she babysat. The kitchen was near the front of the house, the living room was at the back, I'd say every time Miss Mosley babysat she would arrive and be taken to the kitchen by Mrs Kinskey, then she would follow the Kinskeys to the front door, lock up, check on the kids, and only then check the living room. There was a routine and our killer knew it, I warned you about this, he studies his victims and he plans everything out."

"You also said his kills were two weeks apart," Horatio pointed out quickly. "I guessed he might want to celebrate his six month anniversary, why didn't you?"

There was a spark of anger in Ridley's brown-grey eyes. "You also failed to prevent it Lieutenant Caine."

"Which I deeply regret Detective Moon," he retorted quietly in a voice that was still brittle calm.

"Do you regret all your oversights?" she quipped harshly.

Horatio hesitated in his response, taking in her fiery expression as he puzzled over her tone, it was as if she meant it to be personal and yet he did not think it was an over defensive reaction to his remarks, no, there was something more to it. "It was your oversight as well Detective Moon, you are meant to be the expert."

She resisted the urge to turn away from his intense stare and said quietly, "your right, it was my oversight, twelve cases now, twelve, I've heard all the accusations, and all the insults. I've had to answer to my superiors so many times it's lost all meaning. I've also had to answer to the families, the first three were upset but the rest, they got angry, I've been cursed at, spat at, slapped and threatened, I'm the name to blame in this, I've always been blame with Detective Silver and now I'm to blame for it all because I failed him too. So if you want a name to use when people start asking you why the body count is rising use mine, I don't care. I don't care what abuse I suffer over this or who breaks the case so long as it is solved and this guy pays for what he's done."

"I don't know how things were done in New York Detective Moon but down here my team succeed or fail as a team," Horatio said firmly, "we don't let individuals become scapegoats. Your case is now my case too and we are going to solve it but you have to give me everything."

"Everything?" she echoed in confusion as she finally sat back.

"I've looked at your old cases and there are a few inconsistencies, Mary Violet's death was more violent than the others as was Detective Silver's, and he wasn't killed in his car where he was found meaning the urban legend his death was mimicking is still unclear but you know all that, so what's the explanation? Those two victims stand out Detective Moon and I cannot accept that no one in New York could learn anything from that."

Ridley gave a slight frown before brushing her right hand loosely against her coin necklace and then letting it fall to her lap. "Well we didn't, my conclusion was that someone killed Miss Violet, yes, but someone else cleaned it up, the kill was sloppy but the clean-up was professional, the area was sterile, no prints and the only evidence, the mirror, took us where the killer wanted it to take us. Look Lieutenant Caine, Justin and I reopened Miss Violet's case three times because it was an oddity, we were both convinced it proved that these urban killings were the work of at least two people, possibly more but no one wanted to hear theories. We looked at every shred of evidence we could find but it led us nowhere."

"And Detective Silver?" Horatio pressed her for information as he placed both his palms down on the table and continued to stare at her. "It's easy to assume the motive was either because he got too close to something or simply a mockery of the authorities chasing the killer but could it have been something else? This killer seems to go to a lot of effort to make these kills match up with urban legends, why was this different? I get the killer in the backseat motive but the evidence that he died elsewhere was clear and I don't think our killer is the type to kill someone in one urban legend fashion and then change it to another."

"I know," Ridley retorted quietly as she bowed her head, "and I thought that too. I looked hard into his case and it nearly broke me and in the end I was ordered off it because he was my partner and it was too personal. I don't where Justin was when he died, he was out of the city, his wife thought he was at work but that was a lie, it's why people think maybe he was onto a solid lead at long last but there was nothing about it, not in his home, his car or at work, nothing to suggest that he had finally learned something about this killer."

"He was wrapped up beneath a blanket and positioned to appear comfortable," Horatio continued, still calm and quiet, "is it possible someone else moved the body? Someone who knew him, someone who cared about him? Because that's what it looks like to me Detective Moon and I'm wondering why everyone close to him wasn't questioned more thoroughly over it."

Ridley looked up sharply and snapped, "I spoke to everyone who knew him, everyone Lieutenant Caine, an old college friend he met for coffee a week before his death, a cocktail waitress he'd flirted with one night, an ex-girlfriend who lived ten blocks away, I left no stone unturned with Justin but whatever secret he had he kept it from me and took to his grave."

Horatio nodded and glanced at Ridley's half-full cup of now cold coffee. "Do you want another coffee Detective Moon? I'll give you a moment to enjoy it this time."

Ridley shook her head. "I'd rather go back to my friend's Lieutenant Caine, wash, change and maybe have some form of breakfast if I have the time."

"You will have the time Detective Moon, I will call you when we know more about our crime scene and when Glenn Kinskey is ready to talk, I imagine if he's going to talk to anyone it will be the detective who promised to catch the monster that robbed him of his siblings."

Ridley clenched the edge of the table slightly with both hands. "Another family to try and explain things too," she said softly, "another set of faces looking at me and wondering why I don't know anything about this madman and how I've let it go on for so long."

"I will be with you Detective Moon, sharing those stares and answering those accusations," Horatio assured. "You won't ever be alone in Miami."

Ridley gave a grateful nod. "Thank you Lieutenant Caine."

He gave a flicker of a smile, interrogation over at last. "It's been a week and we are working together, I think Horatio will do."

'I must have passed his test,' she thought sardonically. "Do I know you well enough for that?"

Horatio lowered his shades with one hand exposing his intent stare. "If you don't Detective Moon I'm hoping you soon will and that I will know you quite well too."

Ridley wasn't sure why but there was something in his deep blue eyes that suggested his words were a threat. She chose not to react to it; instead she smiled back and retorted, "Ridley, if you get to be Horatio then I get to be Ridley."

"Well Ridley I think it's time we concluded our long morning and your long evening and I get you to back to whomever's house you happen to be staying in," he replied jovially.

Ridley's eyes filled with a brief flicker of annoyance as Horatio stood, she knew he was mocking her, hinting towards her earlier activities with Speed, not that he could possibly know whom she had been with. She had been expecting it, in fact she had been expecting worse, perhaps scorn or questions, this was getting off lightly and yet somehow she felt uneasy, like the worst was still to come. Horatio was playing nice after his inquisition but he wasn't hiding the fact that he was still unsure about her. Well it was nothing she wasn't used to, after a while she and Justin had been treated like the plague amongst the CSI department in New York, the detectives there were afraid if they associated with Ridley and Justin they would be tainted by the press and public.

Ridley followed Horatio out into the warm golden glow of a late Miami morning and gave him Ruby's address. The drive took forty minutes and during it they shared yet another questionable silence, even Horatio felt the discomfort of it this time. He wanted to like Ridley Moon, he did, but there was something about her that nagged at him, that insisted something wasn't right and he could neither shake it off nor solve it. She had her secrets but everyone did, and she was a fish out of water down here, and by her own admission suffering from serious harassment and grief over this urban legends killer, never mind the grief and guilt that came with Detective Silver's murder.

'Justin,' the realisation sparked in Horatio's head suddenly as he turned into Ruby's street. 'She calls him Justin every time except when she was telling me his name for the first time, with everyone else it's strict protocol, surnames and titles only, but even when I call him Detective Silver she sticks with Justin and she says it so fondly. He was her partner for two years, so calling him by his first name would hardly be unusual but it's the way she says it. I'm going to need more before I go down this road but I'm starting to think Justin Silver was Ridley's partner in more than one way.'

He pulled up on the road outside the block of modest looking apartments Ruby called home. All white walls and glass like so many of the buildings around the city, except this one was in desperate need of a fresh coat of paint, several of the windows bore cracks and there were no wealthy women sunning themselves on balconies.

"Thanks for the lift," Ridley said politely.

'No invite, pity,' Horatio thought sardonically as he nodded, 'but she's too clever to encourage me to pry into her personal affairs.'

"I'll see you later Ridley."

"I hope it's with good news," she retorted before opening the door and stepping out of the car.

"I will be happy if it's just news," Horatio answered before she closed the door. He watched as she walked off, brisk and, he noticed a smile, barefoot with muck stains up to her knees. It was why she had gotten numerous looks in the diner and yet she hadn't been bothered by a single one. 'I do want to like her,' he thought wearily, 'but there's something stopping that. Ridley if you're holding back because you don't trust me that needs to stop, you're not alone in this anymore, I'll only give you to the wolves if you deserve it.'

* * *

"She's in your parking space again Horatio," Calleigh remarked cheerfully as Horatio entered the CSI Miami headquarters.

"I noticed," Horatio retorted dryly with a glimmer of a smile.

"Maybe you should have better time keeping H," Eric jested with a grin, "this woman seems determined to piss you off."

Horatio tugged his ever present sunglasses off and slid them by one stem into his jacket's front pocket. "Or she's testing me," he replied serenely, "because I'm testing her."

Calleigh looked mildly impressed at this. "Well you gotta like a girl who stands up for herself."

Even as Eric frowned at Calleigh's admiration for Ridley he couldn't help but show a hint of fondness in his brown eyes as he took in Calleigh's wide, white smile and the joyous spark in her own vibrant, cerulean eyes.

"There is a difference between asserting one's self and defending a secret in one's self," Horatio murmured, "I think I would rather find out which it is with Ridley before I show any admiration."

"Yet you're calling her Ridley now," Calleigh observed as she gave her superior an easygoing, jesting smile, "means there's something about her you like."

"Her stubbornness maybe," Horatio murmured. "Now I think we should join her and the others upstairs and see what we've learned."

Upstairs Speed was very much regretting being first in the main office especially now that Ridley was second and had been for ten minutes. Truthfully he wasn't one for being early, or even on time, but he already been at work wrapping up information on the clown statue so it was easy enough to head upstairs in good time. He had looked up when she had entered the room, just to simply see who had arrived, and had not looked at her since, though he had offered a half-hearted 'hi' to which she had responded with an equally brief and awkward greeting.

What was now annoying him was for the past ten minutes that she had been sitting in the room staring out the window wistfully and he had been laying out his information on the statue on the desk, was that instead of thinking about the ugly decoration he was catching himself thinking about her without meaning to.

'What is this, case number twelve?' he wondered in irritation. 'Surely no paycheque is worth chasing some creep all over New York and then down to Miami with no success, especially a creep like this. She doesn't look desperate for money, although her clothes aren't exactly brand new, pretty much every girl in that club last night had an outfit double the cost of her dress at least. I suppose her outfit was a little more tasteful that most of the rest but it's not exactly Miami club wear and I don't think she'd stand out much in New York either.'

He frowned down at a photograph of the statue angrily as he realised he was doing it again. 'Damnit I did a stupid thing, if Eric found out he would never let it go. Well there are plenty of other women in Miami so there won't be a repeat.'

The door opened as Horatio entered followed by Calleigh and Eric. Horatio took in the scene swiftly just as Ridley turned away from the window and banished the unsuited peaceful look in her eyes.

"It's a beautiful sunset out there," Calleigh observed.

"It is," Ridley agreed as she stood up. "You don't get them like that in New York, too much smog and our summers just aren't as golden."

"Well Speed," Horatio turned on the trace expert, "what can you tell us about the statue?"

"It was originally a decoration in Harlequin's Joke and Costume shop in the mall downtown on Red River Street before that place went into administration and shut down five months ago," Speed explained dryly, his voice weary and his expression sullen. Truthfully this case was nothing but a problem to him, a long, weary problem that was too complicated and unfulfilling to justify his paycheque and yet it was somehow better being on this case at last than chasing up after heroin addicts overdosing and models being accidentally drowned in a selfish form of sex gone wrong with would be playboys. "Anything that wasn't sold or moved on to another store went into storage out of town, with a storage company called 'Creek Storage', this particular item was in number 556, forgotten until I made many, many dead end calls about it. Seems no one knew or cared that it was gone.

The serial number is 32, only 34 of these things were made, can't imagine why," he continued sardonically, "the company that made them, is a small business in Florida called Green Doves Ltd, catchy right?" He glanced up at Horatio briefly before continuing on. "They were the ones who were able to tell me where this model went, straight from them to Harlequin's, they still had the paperwork showing the request and the payment, which they faxed to us." He gestured down to the sheets below with one hand. "Creek Storage by the way operates with the policy that you look after your own stuff, they provide the space not the protection, they have only three cameras on site, one of which, the main gate's incidentally, is broken. My guess, there's probably a lot of illegal stuff in those storage containers. Also, their opening hours are 10-4 and they are as helpful as a bank."

"That's a bitter analogy," Calleigh teased. "Still, good info, a lot better than I did with our murder weapon, or weapons rather."

"Oh?" Horatio raised a golden-red eyebrow at that.

Calleigh nodded. "Uh huh, one for the babysitter and one for the twins, Alexx is eighty percent sure the twins died first, hard to tell though since there can only have been twenty minutes or so in it, but the time of death for all of them was somewhere around the time Abigail phoned to complain about the statue watching her at 11:45 p.m."

"Yes, she was in the house a good three hours before she did that," Horatio murmured, "meaning the statue itself didn't initially alarm her, at least not enough to call the Kinskeys."

"Four years old," Ridley commented quietly as she folded her arms, "no one under three yet but four...four's getting close, they hadn't even started school."

"Seems futile doesn't it," Speed remarked grimly, "we spend all this time trying to catch this guy and he goes and kills two kids. What's the point?"

"The point Speed is to stop him before he ruins anymore lives," Horatio commented sternly, "and to bring him to justice for the lives he has taken and we will, believe me we will because he will slip up, everyone does eventually."

"Surely eventually was five kills ago in New York," Speed grumbled bitingly.

"I thought so too," Ridley retorted coolly as she gave him a brief glower, "but if he did slip up we missed it and I don't see how but the evidence is there for all of you to look over, believe me after all this time I would be glad for something to jump up even if it made me look incompetent, getting this guy caught would be worth it.'

'Martyr,' Speed thought disapprovingly.

"Well there's been nothing concrete with our first case," Calleigh commented wearily, "the cameras from the King's household didn't show us much and Miss Greene's mother says the lantern was broke by Mr Blair when he was drunk and that he had a habit of forgetting to lock the door all the time, meaning our killer didn't have to commit breaking and entering to get access to Miss Greene's diary."

"Something will lead us to this guy," Horatio insisted, "now, Ridley, you and I need to go and speak with a very traumatised boy."

Ridley nodded slowly, it wouldn't be the first child she'd spoken to in regards to these disturbing murders, not even the second or the third. She tried to steel herself for the tears, the pleading looks, the burning horror in the eyes that she knew was never going to leave and worse the sobs and shakes but it was hard, no matter how many times kids were involved with crimes it was always that little bit harder making yourself numb to their pain than it was making yourself numb to an adult's pain. Yet to openly sympathise or empathise would be worse, it would make things too personal, and make you too emotional.


	5. Chapter 5- Name Game

"It didn't go well with the Kinskeys, did it?"

"Come again?" Horatio leaned back from his desk, tipped down his shades and looked up at Calleigh calmly. There wasn't much the blonde missed and it was one of the many reasons why she was his second in command. Calleigh had a knack for getting answers from people and she wasn't afraid to use her good looks to do it, Horatio was an exception to that, for one thing she respected him too much and for another his interest seemed to veer towards brunettes. Calleigh had noted that lately brunettes with long, curly hair and soft, golden skin seemed to have taken his fancy but sadly he had not tried to pursue that attraction.

"It's been almost a week since you saw them and all you've told us is that the boy was no help, he heard the babysitter scream and some heavy footsteps but that's it. Ever since then Ridley's buried herself in this case to the point that she doesn't seem to eat or sleep unless you tell her to," Calleigh remarked pointedly.

"Well it's her case," Horatio retorted serenely, "and it has gone on for long enough."

Calleigh gave a slight frown before folding her arms and shaking her head. "Be evasive if you want to but something happened with that family."

Horatio nodded before looking back to the screen. Calleigh followed his gaze and raised a golden eyebrow. "No way," she remarked in disbelief as she cracked a smile.

There was an image of Ridley on the screen with her CSI profile from New York. Horatio had requested the information, at first he had met with some refusals and grumbles before he had made a personal call to Detective Mac Taylor. The New York detective had been the one to let him know about Ridley in the first place after all though he had worked with her only briefly in person as she had not been a part of his team. Mac had been reluctant to give out any personal information, after all Ridley was the detective not the case itself, and he had been even more reluctant to share anything about the late Detective Silver. In the end all Horatio had won for his efforts were Ridley and Justin's work profile, which frankly weren't hard for any detective to access.

"Her birthday, it can't be, that's a joke right?" Calleigh gasped.

"Nope," Horatio assured. He had already seen that information when he had been sent her scant details before she had arrived in Miami- full name, D.O.B, and job title.

"Halloween, seriously? The woman from Sleepy Hollow who gets assigned supernatural and horror story crimes has her birthday on Halloween?" Calleigh marvelled.

"Hmm, when you put it like that I can't imagine why she would keep it private," Horatio retorted sardonically as he scrolled the mouse down her profile.

"That's in just over two weeks," Calleigh observed.

"Your point?" Horatio retorted calmly.

Calleigh glanced down at him but he continued to stare at the screen. "Well if she's still here, I don't know, it just would be pretty sad having your birthday alone in a strange city."

"Well Halloween is the perfect night to celebrate with strangers, everyone's in disguise," Horatio retorted swiftly. "No kills but she's not afraid to use her gun, six serious injuries and twelve minor caused by her bullets, all deserved from the looks of it," he mused.

"Horatio what is it your looking for with Ridley?" Calleigh queried with just a hint of annoyance in her voice. The blonde didn't know if it was because Ridley was a fish out of water or because she did genuinely like her but either way she felt like the men of CSI were unfair to her and that she had to defend her.

"I don't know and that's the problem," Horatio confessed as he leaned back in his seat in frustration. "She was quite successful before this urban legends madman, she and Detective Silver seemed to be quite a formidable team, and even when they started getting the more questionable cases they still did everything promptly and professionally, no signs of slipping up in frustration or showing any anger over getting the cases. So why did it all go wrong Calleigh? How did this person get such an edge over them?"

"I don't know," the blonde murmured, "but she does still seem like a good detective she just got dealt a bad hand with this, that's all and so far we haven't handled it much better, I mean the guy's still out there."

"I know," Horatio murmured as he closed down the file at last, "and I know what you're thinking, that I'm trying to find a way to blame Ridley for it but that's not it Calleigh, I believe if she could have gotten this guy she would have done it long ago but there is something that she's keeping back."

"Well hey maybe if you get a birthday card she might want to share," Calleigh suggested jokingly.

Horatio cracked a small smile at that. "Maybe we should keep the birthday thing between us or she might not want to share with either of us," he suggested.

"I agree with you there," Calleigh retorted thinking of the merciless jokes Eric would inevitably make, he and Speed would probably find it funny for months. "She should probably be thankful her parents didn't call her something weird like Shadow or Ghost."

"Shadow Moon, yes that would be cruel," Horatio mused.

* * *

Tim Speedle frowned down at his case notes in frustration, he was fed up going over them but they were needed for a court presentation tomorrow and he would be damned if a known drug dealer was going to walk because of his sloppiness. Still, he was getting tired and the knowledge that Eric was out at their local bar wasn't helping his frustrations. When the door opened and he glanced up his already shortening temper almost went as Ridley entered the room.

She had her arms full of folders, files and paperwork and, as usual, was dressed unsuitably for a CSI office. Alright, it was a nice outfit but it just didn't look like something a detective would wear. She had on a short sleeved, white and grey checked shirt, with sunglasses tucked into the pocket, dressy black shorts that hung between her knees and waist, white and grey argyle socks and black brogues, and the ever present coin necklace was half-visible beneath the shirt collar.

Speed didn't know it but Ridley had been wearing the outfit all day long, having woken to an unusually hot autumn Miami morning, she had donned the shorts and shirt and went on several long journeys. First was the crime scene of Jesse King and Amelia Greene's murder, the papers had dubbed it 'Don't Look Back' after the infamous urban legend despite the inaccuracy given Amelia had never gotten the chance to look back, next was a trip to their school, also the late Abigail Mosley's school, but the information there had been scant. Oh sure the students had plenty to say, a lot of gossip about Amelia and Jesse, but nothing to give Ridley hopes of a clue or a link. She had even gone so far to consider the fact that the children in the first babysitter fatality had had the surname Gail, and the babysitter in this case was Abigail, but the link seemed tenuous at best and none of the other cases tied in with it.

On her journey she had gotten lost numerous times despite her Satnav and cursed herself out for time wasting but Speed couldn't know that either, or that it had left her with a temper as short if not shorter than his.

"Sorry," she muttered as she hesitated in the doorway, "I saw the light on and thought I could look at the files in here, do some quiet studying with someone else, didn't see the point in wasting electricity," she added lamely.

'Well that's a dumb excuse,' Speed thought snidely as he continued to stare at her with his dark brown eyes, 'but it's not like she knew it was me in here, you can't exactly see through the walls. So what, she just didn't want to be alone while looking at files?'

"Look I'll leave you to it," she said quickly as she started to awkwardly turn back to the door, jumbling the files as she did. She let out an expletive when two folders clattered to the floor, scattering their documents across the black tiles.

"You can stay," Speed grumbled before he resumed looking down at his own carefully tagged and highlighted notes.

Ridley said nothing; she just muttered several other oaths before shoving the documents into one messy pile and lifting them hastily. There were four desks in the centre of the room beneath unflattering white strobe lights with uncomfortable plastic chairs around them with metal legs that scraped unpleasantly on the tiles when moved. Several scratches bore testimony to the abuse both chairs and floor had suffered but no one had ever bothered suggesting the budget be used to provide better chairs. The room also had several banged and bruised looking metal file cabinets against the wall to the right, a water coolant against the floor to ceiling windows at the left, which had currently open, white, metal blinds to cover them, and a battered, brown couch at the back wall with a wooden, stained coffee table in front of it.

Ridley hesitated only briefly at the four tables of which Speed had managed to occupy two before she hastened to the coffee table and unceremoniously dumped her documents down there.

Speed expected a query about what he was doing, or maybe a passing remark about the urban legends case, perhaps a weak attempt to suggest some improvement with it or a defensive remark about all the work she had been doing on it but Ridley was silent.

Speed had noticed, along with everyone else, how Ridley was constantly involved with the case, almost on a twenty-four/seven basis. Speed had commented snidely to Eric that she had no other cases to distract her like they did and it was her mess anyway, but even he was starting to think she was obsessing with it now. Like Calleigh, it made him wonder what the Hell had happened with the Kinskey family. Horatio had come in the morning after meeting with them, quieter and sterner than usual, and said only that Glenn Kinskey had been too traumatised to offer much and it was unlikely he had heard anymore than screams and footsteps as he claimed. Ridley had then shown up just before noon, she had still been wearing the same clothes she had gone to see the Kinskeys in, a cream shirt that had somehow ended up with a big coffee stain in the middle of it, as Speed recalled. Her hair had been a bushy mess and the bags under her eyes were so grey her eyes had looked bruised. She had thrown herself into the case immediately without a word to anyone except Horatio who had taken her in hand and led her to his office for what Eric had timed to be a twenty minute chat.

Speed wondered now if Ridley had screwed up with the Kinskeys, intimidated or upset the kid but he couldn't see it with her, she didn't seem the type so what then? He glanced up at the clock ticking on the wall- 12:05, great his work had taken him into Thursday morning. He stretched out briefly and glanced over his shoulder. Ridley was still there; quiet as a mouse and deep in focus on several photographs. She paused to scribble something down on a notepad in black ink before circling part of it with a red marker. Speed shook his head in despair at her jumble of notes before returning to his own, which wasn't looking much better.

01:13, Speed was starting to get tired. He pushed back his chair gently and stood up, time to get a coffee. He turned to his still silent companion and shook his head chidingly, she had fallen asleep. She was sideways on the couch, head slumped on her left arm which was stretched out across the arm, her other arm was in her lap clutching tightly at a photograph, and her legs were still hanging off the couch, limp and closed together. There were faint goose bumps showing on her bare arms and legs, well the temperature had dropped significantly since sunset and sure it was Miami but it was still autumn and the offices were rarely warm at night.

The trace expert took the chance to sneak a look at her notes. He scanned over the news clippings, photographs and police notes quickly before pausing at her notepad. The date was on it, yesterday's date- October 15th, and beneath it in bold red marker- ONLY TWO DAYS, well now it was just one. Speed glanced at her in surprise, was she that fixated? Well two kills in the space of a week had been unexpected and her screw up he supposed, it was her intel that had suggested the killer only attacked every two weeks, so now she was thinking it was every week? Or fearing? He glanced at her again, yep definitely sleeping, and leaned down for a closer look at the notes. There was a list of the twelve kills- names and the urban legend they were meant to mimic, except for number 10, 10 was just a single name and nothing else, and it was the only one in red ink- Justin.

Speed stood upright once more and contemplated waking her for coffee but deciding that he didn't want any interaction with the woman he chose not to and slipped out of the room quietly instead.

Bleary eyed he got some thick, unpleasant looking, black coffee from the machine in the kitchen, muttered a curse when he found the sugar pot empty, and returned to the office with some reluctance. He sat down his cup and looked at Ridley again, still asleep in a position that was definitely going to cause some aches later, and still covered in goose bumps.

When she twitched slightly, his frown deepened. He thought about waking her but again was reluctant for a conversation, instead he tugged his navy blazer off the back of his chair and placed it over her loosely, reasoning moodily that he wasn't wearing it anyway and it would be bad enough for her to wake up in pain without sneezing as well.

He resumed his position at his desk, took a gulp of the bitter coffee and got stuck back into his own work. He had to admit it, if only to himself, at least her case was interesting- morbid, creepy and wicked too but still a damn sight more interesting than his usual cases. He would never say it but he was glad Horatio had finally included him on it, normal Miami business was just mind numbing now, the crime level just seemed to rise and rise and no matter what they did, it was never going to go away but this, catching this guy might actually offer some satisfaction.

Speed tensed slightly as his watch beeped twice. He had been nodding off, head in the palm of his hand, right elbow resting awkwardly on an open file. He lifted his head, scratched his dark hair and glanced at his watch- 02:15, time to call it a night. He looked down at his notes, put them carefully in order, closed the file and stood up.

Ridley jumped when a hand shook her awake. She sat up in surprise with a wince of pain as her back protested and her neck almost seized up. She found herself looking up at Timothy Speedle's stony, brown stare. His dark eyes almost seemed to bore into her and she wondered what he was thinking.

"It's late," he said dryly, "you need to go bed." His blazer was in his right hand; his file tucked safely under his left arm, Ridley had no idea the blazer had been anywhere near her.

"No," she murmured with a shake of her head as she finally sat upright, rubbing her neck with her right hand. "I mean thanks," she added as she looked up at him calmly, "but I'm staying."

"Don't be stupid," he scolded her, "you've been sleeping for an hour. Look, you can't work on this twenty-four seven, no one can, you'll only get sloppy and miss things if you don't sleep, so go back to your friend's and sleep."

"She's not home," it came out automatically before Ridley could help it. She looked surprised at herself before adding hastily, "not that it matters. Look I'll go, alright."

Speed knew he should just walk out the door and leave her to her own devices but instead he continued to stare down at her disapprovingly, noting how she made no effort to tidy up. "Well I'll walk you out then," he said coldly.

"No need," she retorted with a slight edge to her voice. She knew what he was trying to do, make sure she actually left the building.

"Let a young woman walk through a potentially dangerous car park in the dark, that wouldn't be very nice of me," he murmured dryly.

"Firstly, I have a gun, just like you," she snapped back, "and secondly, it's the CSI car park, alright, a fine target for criminals state wide, but also pretty damn secure. Go home..." She hesitated at his name and added awkwardly, "Mr. Speedle."

He let out a snort that was a mixture of disbelief and disgust. "Really? You slept with me but it's Mr. Speedle, that's all I get?"

She held his gaze and hid her embarrassment before retorting moodily, "you call me New Yorker or Moon Girl, I've heard you and Eric you know."

Speed scowled down at her, unperturbed. "So he gets to be Eric?"

"He told me to call him Eric," she grumbled. "You're Speed to your friends. I mean I'd like to call you Tim and I'd like you to call me Ridley but if that's not gonna happen then yeah, Mr. Speedle, least it's that and not some stupid nickname."

His eyes burned with annoyance as he puzzled over whether she was calling his nickname stupid or the nicknames he and Eric had for her stupid, and decided it was probably the latter. "Not all nicknames are stupid," he retorted coolly, "it's a sign of affection sometimes."

"Or insult, I don't like them either way," she replied defensively.

"Whatever Ridley." He was surprised when she smiled at that and his frown deepened. "Oh what?" he snapped in annoyance. "You want me to call you Ridley I'll call you Ridley. Now, get your ass in gear Ridley, you need to go to bed."

She shook her head again but there was no anger in it this time. "There's no time," she murmured, "I have to keep going-"

"What until the 17th? Tomorrow? Then he possibly strikes again, and then you burn up trying to make it until the next week and so on, and so on. We don't have any leads here and you've devoted enough time, trust me, exhausting yourself won't help."

"Maybe not but at least it will feel like I'm doing something."

"_What have you been doing all this time?!" Mrs Kinskey shrieked angrily. "A serial killer and you knew about it?! WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING?! WHAT?!"_

"What happened with the Kinskeys?"

"Huh?" Ridley blinked and looked up at Speed in surprise.

"The Kinskeys," he repeated, "we all know it didn't go well, you and Horatio haven't hid that, so what happened?"

"The usual," Ridley answered calmly, "Mrs Kinskey threw boiling coffee over me and slapped me because her kids are the twelfth case, and Mr Kinskey cursed at me, said he would have my badge and their solicitors would be all over me and then he told me it was all my fault and I had let it happen.

I've heard it all before about six times over now but I've got to admit," she added with feigned cheer, "the coffee was an unexpected touch, doubt I'll get the stain out of that shirt. Horatio wasn't too happy about it, he tried to defend me, said it wasn't my case but our case and then Mrs Kinskey kind of tried to claw his eyes out, I think that's when it went downhill."

"That's when," Speed repeated dryly as he tried to digest this information, "not when you got hot coffee thrown at you but after?"

Ridley gave a perky nod. "Uh huh, a Mrs. Randal, sister of case number seven, Miss Stefanos, tried to pull out my hair once and Miss Pelinsky, roommate of case number eight, Mr Bradwick, kicked Justin in the balls," she smiled faintly at this, "he walked funny for a week." Her smile vanished just as swiftly as it had appeared. "Horatio got lucky all things considered but then he didn't let Mrs Kinskey get within range, that's where Justin made a mistake...he let them within range." Her right hand reached up to her coin necklace as she repositioned it about her neck.

"Look...Ridley, exhausting yourself isn't going to prevent the next victims or bring back the past ones, I know, we all know, every one of us has been there and it's shit but that's it. Go to Ruby's, get some sleep and if nothing else you'll have more energy to keep going with this thing."

"You know I can't sleep very well at Ruby's," she said with a tired smile, "too many pipes making noise but I'll go," she added hastily seeing his mouth open to protest. She moved at last to tidy up her paperwork. Once she had it lifted she followed him to the door and escaped the office with him. "Right," she said chirpily, "you got me out of the office, now I've got to return all this stuff so see you later."

"Tim."

"What?" She looked up at him in confusion.

"Tim, see you later Tim," he said deprecatingly. "I don't like Tim much, I've gotten used to Speed, but it's better than Mr. Speedle."

"Right, see you later Tim." She turned and started walking up the corridor.

Speed frowned after her. 'Why don't I believe she's going to go to Ruby's?' he pondered sardonically. 'Oh well, not my problem.' He turned at last and headed on his way.

* * *

"Yes?"

Horatio was not entirely surprised to see that Ridley's flatmate was a feisty redhead who was currently giving him an unhidden look of emerald eyed disapproval. She leaned against her doorframe casually, clad in tight, frayed, white shorts and a white, crochet top that stopped short above her belly and revealed a bright, hot pink bra underneath. She folded her arms and continued to eye him up with displeasure.

"Good afternoon," he greeted politely, "would Miss Moon be here?"

"You a cop?" Ruby quipped bitingly.

"Yes, Lieutenant Caine to be precise."

"Lieutenant?" Ruby perked up at that, standing upright as her eyes glimmered with intrigue. "You the one bossing Ridley about these days?"

He showed a small smile at that. "In a manner of speaking."

"Well the girl's wrecked," Ruby pouted at him as the scowl returned, "flat out wrecked, I came home around ten this morning and she was sitting with all the lights on staring at all these newspaper articles. I mean seriously," Ruby reached out with one long nailed hand and poked Horatio sharply in the chest with one finger, "homework for a cop? Bit cruel Loo-ten-ant," she pronounced each syllable out slowly.

"I assure you Miss..."

"Thibodeaux, Ruby Thibodeaux, you got a first name to go with your title?"

"Horatio."

"Shakespeare huh?"

"Close," Horatio replied warmly, "I was named after an author, Horatio Algar. Now, Detective Moon, is she here?"

"Sleeping," Ruby said firmly as she refolded her arms and drummed her nails on her left arm. "She used to be fun before all this bullshit, and you know what, Horatio, I'm going to remind her of that so if you guys can just get off her ass for a bit, it's why I agreed to let her stay here. A police job is still just a job you know; she deserves her free time like the rest of us."

"I couldn't agree more Miss Thibodeaux and I assure you I'm not here to harass her, she just wasn't answering her calls that's all."

"Well...it's a deep sleep," Ruby murmured awkwardly.

Horatio tilted his head down slightly to give her a disapproving look. "A deep sleep," he repeated carefully, "what exactly does that mean Miss Thibodeuax?"

"You cops, all so suspicious," she grumbled, "Ridley and Justin got that way, they used to remember it was just a job, we went out all the time in New York. Course I moved here over a year ago but we'd still go out every time I went back there, until all that nonsense with this Suburban Bogeyman, and really, that the best name New York could come up with for that nut?" She shook her head angrily. "I gave her some special tea that's all."

"Special, Miss Thibodeaux we're not playing Snow White and the apple here, are we?"

"Sleeping tablets," Ruby confessed as she blew at her fringe angrily, "she frigging needed it, I swear her eyes looked bruised and she walks about here like a bloody zombie, Ridley was odd when she got here but this past week she's gone super weird."

"So, you drugged your own friend against her will, is that it?" Horatio said in his brittle calm voice that suggested he was seconds from losing it.

"Shit no!" Ruby protested with a look of alarm. "Look, I just crushed them into the tea but I did say the tea was to help her sleep. Why don't you get out of here; you've no right to interrogate me."

"On the contrary Miss Thibodeaux you volunteered the information without any interrogation," he replied coolly. 'Chatty girl,' he thought calmly, 'a bit risky staying with such a sharer.'

"Bloody hell, look it was like four hours ago, I'll go wake her up but you stay here," she poked him again for good measure, "right here Mr. Caine."

"Lieutenant."

Ruby threw one hand up in the air as she turned away from him. "Just a title, bit pretentious enforcing it," she replied patronisingly as she walked off.

Once Ruby was out of hearing, Horatio pushed open the door wide, took off his sunglasses and peered in. The door opened into a decent sized living room that was joined to a kitchen, separated by a short wall that also doubled as a breakfast bar. It was a messy apartment but judging from the clothes, trinkets, magazines and perfume bottles on the floor, it was all Ruby's mess. There were numerous cards scattered on a small desk beside the door where the wireless phone also sat, all of them modelling agencies, as well as leaflets and vouchers with offers for clubs, and several post-its with phone numbers on them.

There were also several photos stuck up on the walls displaying Ruby with different women and numerous men. As Horatio scanned what he could see of them he almost missed one, it was tilted to the left and partially covered by another photo, it had creases and looked old but he could still recognise the people in it. There was Ruby, then with pink and purple hair down to her shoulders, she was with two other people, a man in the middle who Horatio recognised as one Justin Silver, clad in a grey shirt, with a beaming white smile and spiked up, short, blonde hair, he had one arm over Ruby's shoulders and the other around Ridley's waist. Ridley was a little younger, but not by much, as Horatio recalled she and Justin had been partners for two years, her dark hair had a few copper streaks in it and was straightened, whilst she was wearing a tastefully low cut, tight, sleeveless, deep blue dress and... Horatio stepped into the hall before he could help himself, leaning up to the picture, there was a necklace but not the coin one, this was a choker of gold stars, beautiful and oddly familiar.

"Hey! What did I tell you?" Ruby snapped shrilly as she spied Horatio in the hallway.

"Ruby stop yelling," Ridley grumbled as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She glanced up the hall at Horatio with embarrassment. "I'm sorry," she said sincerely, "I don't know why my phone didn't wake me, I never sleep so deeply." She looked confused, alarmed even prompting Horatio to glance behind her at Ruby with disapproval.

Ruby glowered back at the redheaded detective and mimed 'don't you dare' before smiling innocently as Ridley looked back at her. "You should've woken me Ruby," she murmured.

"Don't be ridiculous," Ruby snapped, "you were bushed. I've been telling you to go to sleep all this week, and this morning, I mean were you up all morning? It's like you were waiting up for me."

"I wasn't," Ridley snapped a little too quickly. She reached Lieutenant Caine and gestured down at herself awkwardly. "As you can see I fell asleep in yesterday's clothes but hey, at least it means I'm already dressed so what's the plan?"

"Don't you want a moment to get washed and dressed?" Horatio suggested politely.

"No, you rang me four times; I've wasted enough of the day, let's just get on with it."

He held back a frown. 'She doesn't want me waiting here,' he guessed, 'because that would give me a chance to pry.'

"The plan is coffee Detective Moon, because you need it, then we're going to go over the clown statue evidence with Mr Speedle, as well as the antique mirror in Mary Violet's case, because they're quite obscure items and not easy to track down."

"You can track anything down with Google," Ruby chided.

Ridley glanced over her shoulder disapprovingly at Ruby and waved her hand at her. "Bye Ruby, I'll see you later."

"Later Ridley, and don't let that Fascist drive you into exhaustion! This is Miami, you should be doing some relaxing on the beaches down here and you should be letting her have the time off to do it Mr. I'm a Poser in Sunglasses Caine!"

"Shit Ruby!" Ridley exclaimed angrily as she flung her hands out in despair. She stormed out of the apartment, even though it meant sidestepping Horatio to do so. It was only when she stepped on bare concrete that she realised she had no shoes on. Deciding that it wasn't worth Ruby's ranting, she continued on her way, feigning oblivion to it.

"A poser in sunglasses," Horatio mused as he stared back at Ruby calmly, "it's ironic given my sunglasses are off but not the worst thing I've been called so I'll accept it." He flashed her a brief grin, which only served to annoy, before adding, "farewell Miss Thibodeaux and remind me never to accept an invitation for tea."

"Like I'd invite you," Ruby snarled.

Horatio turned away from the fuming woman, glanced quickly at the photograph again and then headed on his way after Detective Moon.

"You know you're not wearing any shoes," Horatio pointed out calmly when he reached her.

"It's a warm day, I thought I'd try barefoot," she retorted sardonically.

'She does that a lot,' he thought as he unlocked the car, opened the door and got in. 'Steals my parking space, walks about in bare feet, doesn't sleep well... That was interesting, was she waiting for her friend to come home? That young woman said all the lights were on, why? And up until ten in the morning...' He glanced at Ridley out of the corner of his eye as he turned on his engine and began reversing the car.

"None of this is your fault Ridley," he said calmly as he pulled out onto the road.

"No, none of it was my fault until it kept going and became my fault," she corrected him, "because by this stage the cop working the case should now have some sort of clue. I've missed something haven't I? I must have, I know I have but I can't figure it out! I've looked and looked and-"

"I know," he interrupted, "and I know you did it when Detective Silver died, Detective Taylor told me, night and day, he said according to his sources you never left your office except to go to the crime scene.

Ridley the victims' families need someone to blame and right now that's us and a faceless killer and it's a lot easier to shout at someone who you can see standing in front of you but that doesn't make it your fault. We've all been looking at the evidence, all of it, so if something has been missed we have all missed it. Now, let's get a coffee and talk about your friend Miss Thibodeaux."

"Ruby? She's harmless, she actually has a real thing for cops, she just prefers it if she invites them over that's all."

"Harmless? I don't think she's entirely harmless. How long have you known her?"

Ridley shrugged. "I don't know, four years maybe, we met in New York if you want to know, she used to live there."

"I know, she told me that."

"Oh."

"Yes, quite chatty your friend."

"She wouldn't talk about the case," Ridley said quickly, "not that I talk about it to her, because I don't, but she's not like that. I wouldn't be that reckless."

"I know," he said sincerely. "She also told me she gave you tea to help you sleep."

"Right," Ridley rubbed at her hair with her left hand, attempting to smooth it out, "some tea." She caught Horatio's serious stare before he resumed looking at the road. "Wait...are you trying to get at something here?"

"She wouldn't be very good at tea parties. She seemed to think you needed a little extra help sleeping, and maybe you did, I get the impression she thought she was doing right or she wouldn't have blabbed about it so freely to me, in between blaming me for your lack of sleep, but you might want to talk to her about it anyway."

"Right." Ridley muttered a curse. "Drugged tea, hmmm, I'm definitely on fire with the crime detection down in Miami. Best not play any Cluedo," she murmured sardonically. "Look I'll talk to Ruby about that, explains why I slept through my phone ringing at least and er...I'm...I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"For not being able to detect that my tea was tampered with, a bit ironic given my profession."

"Ridley I'm not going to judge you because you're not paranoid around your own friend, we don't all sit and sniff our tea suspiciously, she's your friend, apparently, she shouldn't be doing that."

"No, and not apparently, she is my friend," Ridley said sternly, "it's just..." her voice softened slightly, "she moved here over a year ago and things changed in a year but she doesn't get that so much."

"Are you sure it's not just you that changed?" Horatio was quick to the point. "Because of everything that's happened, she said you and Detective Silver used to go out a lot, I imagine his death was very hard on you given you were partners on and off work."

Ridley resisted the urge to scowl; instead she said quietly, "Ruby talks too much. We all socialised after work, not just me and Justin, it only became me and Justin when this urban legends killer showed up."

'I don't believe that,' Horatio thought calmly though he knew better than to say it. 'Every time his name comes up she clams up.'

"And did it bring you closer together?" Horatio pried.

"Professionally," came the blunt retort.

* * *

It was a quarter past three in the afternoon when Horatio and Ridley finally joined Speed at the office. Speed immediately took in Ridley's attire and when Horatio dismissed himself to the toilet Speed was quick to accuse, "you didn't go to bed last night, did you?"

"Well not last night," Ridley retorted brightly, "but you know that, I was here in the morning."

Speed frowned. "And did you bother going back to your friend's?"

"Yes."

"You haven't changed," he pointed out dryly, refusing to believe her.

"That's not true," she replied merrily as she gestured down to her bare feet, "I changed out of my socks and shoes."

Speed stared down at her now slightly browned feet dumbfounded. "I'm not going to ask why," he grumbled.

"Best not."

Horatio rejoined them with a small smile. "Right team, let's try and connect the dots between one limited edition clown statue and one antique mirror."

* * *

_A long chapter I know but I just couldn't stop typing! Some Ridley development here, hope you enjoyed it and I hope you don't mind the Speed/Ridley interaction, I know that's gotten a mixed reaction but I quite liked typing it in this chapter so I just went for it. Hope I'm getting his character right, apologies if not, same for all the other Miami characters! Going to try and give you some more Eric too.  
As always thanks for the reviews!_


	6. Chapter 6- Old Versus New

The beach, golden white sands, and cream topped waves of deep turquoise green, all so beautiful and so damn cliché. Once Speed had actually enjoyed taking pictures of the beach, once, now he was starting to get fed up of the sight of sun, sand and sea, never mind the tourists, and the locals, an unhealthy mix of too much sun block and too much tan. Even now, in the late afternoon as the sun was starting to go down, it was still busy, granted it was the weekend but even so, it was sickening seeing the amount of men in shorts and women in bikinis and swimsuits stretching out desperately for that little bit more of sun, well alright maybe the women weren't so sickening but still.

He leaned back on his elbows and turned to his left to give Eric a wary look. It was Eric's idea to be here, something about relaxing on the beach before hitting the bar as both a weekend celebration and a chance to breathe easy because the killer hadn't struck. One week yesterday since the Kinskey children's murder but there had been nothing, oh sure there had been crimes and murders but none that fell in with the theme of urban killings. Eric and Calleigh had been relieved, Speed had been indifferent, and Horatio and Ridley were cautious that perhaps their killer was taking a break not just to confuse them but because Halloween was coming. As Ridley had informed them grimly there were many urban legends associated with deaths on Halloween and as this was their killer's first active Halloween, she worried that he wouldn't be able to contain himself to just one murder.

The whole thing was starting to make Speed depressed, they knew what the killer was going to do and they were fairly sure it would be on Halloween night but they were powerless to stop it. He had gotten a little hopeful upon discovering that the clown statue and Mary's mirror had both cropped up on a website '_Sourcing Rare Gifts for Unusual Folks_'. It did as suggested and sourced the nearest area to buy unusual, rare and limited ornaments and decorations that were listed on its search engine but of course one did not need an account to use the search engine and, as they learned, of those registered 200 lived in New York and 150 lived in Miami, and the website owners claimed they didn't record what those people searched for as they didn't believe in badgering people with recommended items since they weren't actually selling the items but profited from hosting external advertisements on their site. Horatio still considered it a live lead but Speed did not.

"Why don't you just admit why we're here?" Speed grumbled to his friend.

"What do you mean?" Eric retorted in puzzlement. "I just wanted to finally relax for a change."

"Uh huh, how often do we just sit on the beach?" Speed retorted sarcastically.

"Exactly," Eric answered with a smile, "we should do it more."

"And this has nothing to do with Calleigh saying she was going to take a walk along the beach?" he queried dryly.

"What? No," Eric protested with a shake of his head, "what would that have to do with anything? She could be on any beach at any time."

"Hmm really because I think she said around five when her shift finished," Speed made a point of looking at his watch, "and oh look, it's around five." He dropped his wrist and dipped his head slightly so Eric could catch his scornful stare over his sunglasses.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Speed gave a short laugh. "Whatever man but I've plans to meet with Pam later just in case you do bump into someone who is or isn't Calleigh."

"Pam," Eric replied teasingly, "she's the reason you were wearing the same clothes on Friday as on Thursday, right?"

Speed had the grace to look sheepish. "Right."

Eric laughed this time. "You're getting like Ridley, I mean she's cute when she's washed but when she keeps showing up in the same clothes looking like she hasn't slept you've got to wonder who she's getting frisky with."

"Yeah I don't think that's it," Speed murmured as he glanced out at the sea again, "I don't think she sleeps that's all. Anyway, she looked like she'd washed and changed yesterday."

"Noticed did you?" Eric quipped wryly. Catching the wilting glare he added hastily, "me too, hard not to notice the smell had improved." He laughed again. "I'm joking, but yeah she scrubs up alright and smelt nice, hmm maybe that's the sign she's either hooking up with someone or trying too, or maybe she just finally realised sleeping and showers help."

"Smelt nice," Speed echoed dryly.

"Hey I'm human," Eric retorted defensively, "and it was a nice perfume whatever it was, vanilla or something like that." He added to himself, 'Calleigh's was better, not as sweet, and more flowery like lavender.'

"Right on cue," Speed murmured cynically as he leaned back against the low sandy slope they were resting against.

"Huh?" Eric followed his friend's gaze and felt his heart pound just a little quicker. There she was, the golden girl of Miami as far as he was concerned, beautiful, petite, svelte Calleigh Duquesne, striding up the beach with a skip to her step and a hum in her voice. She was wearing a flattering, bright red vest top, black cargo pants and black sandals with a red handbag on a gold chain over her right shoulder.

"Well hi guys," she greeted politely in that Southern twang that Eric had come to love, "what are you two doing here? I didn't think you liked the beach Speed."

"I don't," he retorted bluntly, ignoring the brief glare Eric gave him.

"We were just sitting here getting ready to enjoy the weekend," Eric explained, "thought it would be a good idea since it's not far from work or the bar." He grinned up at Calleigh and quipped, "what are you doing here?"

"Oh just taking a stroll, trying to relax too, I mean everyone's been so tense with this case, it was like we could just let out a sigh once yesterday passed without event. I was hoping to bring Ridley here too, I mean New York's not exactly hiving with beaches and she says she hasn't gotten onto one yet since she came here but she had plans."

"Plans?" Eric echoed curiously. "You mean she's finally doing something other than obsessing over our phantom killer?"

"Yep," Calleigh answered with a beaming smile that made Eric's smile widen, "ain't it great? I think she said something about a date or a double date with a friend."

"On that note," Speed said as he stood up to dismiss himself, "I too have a date so I'll catch you guys later."

"Aww I'm not chasing you off am I?" Calleigh quipped in mock hurt.

Speed shook his head. "Nah I just have someone to meet."

"Pam," Eric filled in.

"Oh who's Pam?" Calleigh quipped almost conspiratorially. "Is she the reason you forgot to change on Friday?"

"Yes, yes," Speed grumbled as Eric laughed.

Calleigh laughed too. "Well have fun Speed and behave."

"You two do the same," Speed retorted dryly with a taunting look at Eric before he headed on. 'So Ridley finally found a social life,' he thought sardonically, 'hope she remembers to wear shoes on her date.'

Calleigh immediately took his seat on the sand with ease. "Nice view," she said admiringly as she looked out at the ocean.

"Yes," Eric murmured as he took in her soft, sun kissed tresses and milky fair skin.

"I hope we're in for a quiet weekend," Calleigh murmured as she sank back into the sand.

"I dunno a few drinks and some dancing might be in order," Eric suggested tentatively.

"Hmm not for me," Calleigh retorted, "after all this excitement so far I think I'll just relax at the shooting range and hope crime stays normal. Oh but if you're looking for a few drinks," she said as she turned to face him suddenly causing his eyes to widen in shock as he tried not to look like he had been staring at her the entire time, "I think Horatio might be trying to get a girlfriend, maybe you could join him."

"Oh...right, how do you know that?" Eric queried, trying not to sound a little glum.

"I saw him looking at necklaces on his computer," Calleigh confessed, "pretty gold ones with stars, not my thing but they were nice, don't know why they were all stars though, seems a bit specific. Do you think he already has a girlfriend and we just don't know?"

"H, yeah he could, I mean he is pretty secretive at times," Eric replied. "Course you've got to wonder when he has the time to date, I think tonight is his first night off in a while."

"Yes," Calleigh retorted merrily, "that's right, he said he had VIP tickets for some club called 99 Wishes, I wonder if he's taking his girlfriend there."

"So now he definitely has a girlfriend," Eric answered dubiously.

"Hmmm you know," Calleigh pondered with a suspicious look, "he's out tonight at a special club with VIP tickets, and Ridley said she was out on a date..."

"Oh no," Eric interrupted with a wave of his hands, "Calleigh come on, this is H we're talking about!"

"I know but he thinks Ridley has some big secret or something, I don't know, he's definitely trying to get some information out of her though and you know, get a girl out and drunk and she's a bit more eager to talk."

Eric started snickering at that. "She's like what...thirty-one, thirty-two?"

"Twenty-eight in less than two weeks," Calleigh blurted out. "Oops." She smiled innocently, though inside she was cursing herself for her mistake.

"Two weeks..." Eric took a moment to work that out. "NO WAY!" he exclaimed it loudly enough to draw a couple of stares their way, the laughter that followed didn't help alleviate the attention. "Halloween?! Ridley's birthday is Halloween?! For real Calleigh?"

The blonde nodded though she had the grace to look ashamed as she did. "Yes," she admitted in irritation, "but Eric you can't tell anyone."

"Oh come I have to tell Speed, and Alexx! I had a bet on with Speed, he figured she was born on some Friday the 13th, I told him that wasn't strange enough, looks like I was right!" He started laughing again.

Calleigh placed her hands on her hips, drew herself upright and said sternly as she glowered at him, "Eric Delko you had better not make fun of her for it, she's had it hard enough down here and in New York."

"Calleigh," he said as he stifled his chuckles, "she's probably used to it I mean she's from Sleepy Hollow and her birthday is Halloween, it doesn't get any stranger."

Calleigh frowned and shook her head.

* * *

Horatio wasn't sure why he'd thought Yelina would accompany him anywhere, never mind to a night club and was now quite glad that he had followed his instinct not to ask her. He had gotten the tickets from the owner as thanks for catching the robber of his sister's shop. Now here he was with a thirty-five-year-old brunette called Melinda Abano who he had met last September on a case involving a would be rock star who had somehow drowned in a hotel room despite not being near water, Melinda was the co-owner of said hotel. She had insisted he take her out for drinks after but only now had he decided to get round to that.

He was at the bar, regretful of his decision and weary of Melinda's company. Yes she was pleasant and beautiful but she was also boring and cocky. He was contemplating an early night as he ordered another beer until he spotted a familiar face in the crowd.

"Miss Thibodeaux," he greeted politely, "we meet again."

Ruby turned up to the detective with a surprised look on her face that turned into a scowl. "You got me in trouble," she grumbled childishly at him. Her breath reeked of sugar and fruit, too many cocktails evidently if her wobbly legs and the shine at her cheeks was anything to go by.

"I am sorry about that," he apologised swiftly, not meaning a word of it, "it was a misunderstanding I'm sure."

"Well you're lucky we made up," Ruby retorted, her tone still severe. "In fact we were out tonight but now she's wandered off." Ruby let out an angry sigh. "I just wanted her to have fun, but she's gone too weird for that."

"Too weird?" Horatio echoed calmly.

"Yes, like I said before, it's all this Suburban Bogeyman business. Anyway, she warned me not to talk to you, at least not about her."

"What about Detective Silver?" Horatio queried smoothly.

"Who? Oh Justin," Ruby made a face, "I mean God rest his soul and everything but he was such a perv." She paused suddenly and sighed, her face sombre for a moment. "I don't want to speak ill of the dead Horace, and he was a nice guy and great fun, I mean I liked him but guy could not keep it in his pants, being married didn't mean much to him. Anyway, good to see you and all and no more bugging Ridley I'll see you later Horace I'm on a date."

"Horatio," he retorted icily calm.

"Huh?" She blinked at him dumbly.

"It's Horatio and thanks for your help Miss Thibodeaux. One last thing though, where might Ridley be?" He knew he was pushing his luck with that question but Ruby seemed in a sharing mood despite her misgivings about him, it seemed that the cocktails had softened her attitude, and undoubtedly her sense too.

Ruby shrugged. "Don't know, the beach maybe, she keeps saying she's going to see it, maybe take photos but who knows? Old Ridley loved taking photos, don't know about new Ridley." With that she staggered off to join the small crowd of men and women who had been waving over to her and gesturing to shots.

"That won't end well for anyone," Horatio murmured before he returned to Melinda.

He continued on attempting to have some sort of social life for himself if only because Calleigh had encouraged it and he didn't want to seem like he had been heading out specifically for Yelina. Besides, this rare break might be the only one they would have and he knew he shouldn't waste it even if a part of him was itching to do some more detecting work on Ridley. He knew his team were doing their best to forget the serial killer if only for this one night, Speed was with Pam, Eric was in a bar three streets away and Calleigh was at home reading, oblivious to the fact that Eric had been trying to invite her out with him.

'It's getting rarer and rarer to be normal,' Horatio thought morbidly, 'even if it has to be this way for me it shouldn't be for them. I wonder if that's what Ruby means by old Ridley and new Ridley, the Ridley who could maintain a life outside work and the Ridley who struggles to do anything other than work. Is there an old Horatio and a new Horatio now? Have I gone the same way?'

* * *

Rain, it was different down here, warmer and clammier but she liked it in a way even if it was ruining her trip to the beach. Ridley snapped a few photos, little concerned with how grey and miserable they might look or how the drizzle was starting to turn into fat, heavy drops. She cursed when her phone started ringing and fumbled with the camera in one hand so she could tug out her phone.

"Detective Moon," she murmured down it.

"Afternoon Detective Moon, can you meet me down at the station?"

A chill raced through Ridley at Horatio's voice, he was using that horrible calm voice that meant something was deeply wrong. "What is it?" she demanded.

"Our friend didn't miss his deadline we did," Horatio retorted bluntly. "Two bodies were found, two young women, mid-twenties, both with their mouths slashed open from ear to ear."

"Slashed smiles," Ridley echoed faintly, "it's not a widely known urban legend but it could fit. I'll be right over." She hung up the phone without waiting for a reply, exclaimed another curse and put her camera away.

She drove from the beach to the Miami Police-Dade Headquarters, not bothering to go back to Ruby's to dry off or dress. She arrived suitably soggy, pale faced and clad in skinny jeans, black brogues and a green, blue and yellow plaid shirt. She met Horatio at the front door; he had been waiting there for her calmly for twenty minutes.

He eyed the camera hanging about her neck and quipped innocently, "do you like to take pictures?"

"Sometimes," she murmured dismissively, "it's an old hobby. So where are we going?"

"To a former box factory downtown, it's been closed for a long time but in this weather the occasional hobo likes to find shelter, and also bodies."

Ridley nodded wearily as she followed Horatio back out into the rain and into his car.

"Speed, Eric and Alexx are already there," Horatio explained as he drove.

"Perfect way to end the week," Ridley grumbled. "It doesn't add up, why would he wait two days?"

"He didn't," Horatio retorted, "the bodies aren't fresh, Alexx thinks they have been dead a couple of days."

"Strange that there was no anonymous tip then," Ridley retorted, "hard to think he'd wait patiently for two days for us to find the bodies."

"Well we'll know more when we get there," Horatio replied evenly, "but if it's not him then either we have a copycat on the loose or another murderer with a vivid imagination."

Ridley frowned at that thought and spent the rest of the ride in silence. Horatio was burning to ask her a dozen questions but he couldn't think of anyway to lead up to them without making it obvious that he had been and was trying to pry into her life. How could he ask about the star necklace without admitting he'd looked at Ruby's photo of her? Why did it even bother him so much? He'd looked it up but knew only that it was deeply familiar but not why. Then there was Detective Silver, so much about that didn't add up but Horatio wasn't sure why exactly. Maybe it was Ruby's hint that he hadn't been a saintly detective or maybe it was the fact that when Horatio had read his profile he had discovered the man had barely used his gun and yet had one kill to his name. The circumstances remained a mystery but Horatio was determined to find out, he had never even grazed someone with a bullet but yet he had killed someone?

After twenty minutes of driving through the grim, grey day they finally reached their destination, a tall, brick building that was isolated on a strip of dirt with an empty car park and wire fencing surrounding it. The detectives stepped out of the car and hastened up to it.

Inside was a grim scene, two women on the ground against the wall slit from ear to ear so they appeared to be giving wide, bloody smiles.

"The Ace of Spades," Speed spoke up morbidly as he gestured to it with his right foot carelessly. It was in between the women with a spatter of blood on it.

Ridley frowned at the smell, there were coffin flies buzzing about the blood was solidified and brown, yes these poor women had been here for a while. She looked at the scene, they were both dressed for partying, one wore a dress of gold glitter, the other of green silk, one had a clutch purse open beside her and the other a handbag with a snapped chain.

"No photographic ids," Eric murmured, "but the redhead's bank card identifies her as C Blakely."

"They died here," Ridley said calmly as she eyed the dried bloodstains about the bodies, "but how did they get here?"

"Knocked out and brought here probably," Alexx commented, "I'll no more when I do some tests. Poor girls, dressed for dancing, how did you stray so far?"

"They had to be out with someone," Horatio said sternly, "in a club, which means we should be able to get a time frame and some witnesses to their last hours too."

"What urban legend is this anyway?" Eric pondered aloud.

"There's a few variations," Ridley answered coolly, "of men and women seen out at night alone with disturbing, wide grins on their faces, sometimes a wide slash like this, who will in turn give anyone who happens to pass them by a slasher smile of their own. I don't know if he's being creative, running out of ideas or mocking us."

"Well if it's the second one maybe he's finally getting sloppy," Horatio retorted hopefully.

"Maybe," Ridley replied, daring to sound hopeful herself.

They processed the scene for a couple of hours before the bodies were finally transported to the morgue and Alexx's care, after that the group spread out to see what they could learn about the women and their last known whereabouts.

When it turned eleven o'clock in the evening they finally had the pair identified and a story forming.

Cathy Blakely and Rachel Woods, college students majoring in English who had lived in a cheap apartment together. They had been out on the Friday night together with a small group of friends, last they were seen was heading out to hail down a taxi at approximately two in the morning but since they were together, no one else had bothered to go out and see them safely into a taxi so no one could confirm if they had actually gotten into one.

The club was one Honeypot and it had grainy footage showing the women leaving arm in arm, staggering up the street to the right towards a taxi depot at two in the morning. Unfortunately the taxi company had no record of the women ever reaching its doors and its security camera was conveniently broken. So the conclusion was they had either hailed a taxi down, started walking or perhaps hitched a lift from someone else.

When Sunday turned into a very wet Monday morning, Horatio finally called it a night and ordered everyone home.


	7. Chapter 7- Out of Time

_Once again thanks for all the lovely reviews and keep them coming, they really do inspire me and make my day! I finally got the CSI Miami box set so looking forward to watching it all in order but dreading Speed's death, why Speed? Why? It just sucked that he died and the way he did, seems to have been a trend with CSI though you couldn't leave those shows alive lol. I have hopes for Ryan's character though._

* * *

"Happy Birthday."

The two words resonated through Ridley as she looked numbly at the card Ruby pushed in her face. "Thanks," she said, forcing sincerity into her voice as she took the card and flipped it open. It was just a typical cheesy attempt at humour, a joke with two cartoon raccoons.

"And Happy Halloween!" Ruby added with a wide smirk.

The house bore only a few decorations in honour of the holiday, a couple of light up ghost lanterns, a plastic pumpkin dish and a few awful looking rubber bats. Ruby had no love for the holiday, save for the excuse to dress up in something suitably suggestive and get drunk in the name of horror.

'Time's up,' Ridley thought as she sank into the couch she had been sitting on and continued to stare at the card numbly. Halloween, this was going to be their killer's golden night, it had to be, for one thing there were numerous urban legends attached to the holiday, secondly everyone was in disguise making it easy to commit crime without being identified and thirdly, the police force would be spread thin across the cities as crime would be at an all time high.

Ridley had worked herself into exhaustion trying to beat the deadline but now here it was, the morning of Halloween and she had nothing, no new leads, just some more faces for her nightmares.

"Are you going to come out tonight?" Ruby quipped hopefully. "It is your birthday after all and I've heard there's going to be some kick ass parties tonight. That old house, Bramble Mansion, is going to have one hell of a party."

"I'll be working," Ridley answered numbly as she pushed away her plate of half eaten toast.

Ruby folded her arms, frowned and demanded, "aren't you going to work now?"

Ridley nodded. "Yep."

"Ridley it's all you do," Ruby scorned, "if you're working all day you shouldn't be working all night. Come on, you always did something for Halloween and I've got you an awesome present but you're not getting it unless you come out."

"Ruby I'm sorry but tonight could be very dangerous, I need to be on duty."

"How can you be?" Ruby snapped. "You don't have jurisdiction down here."

"I have some," Ridley answered bluntly as she stood up and pushed back her dark waves.

"If Justin were here you'd be wearing cat ears and ducking for apples!" Ruby retorted fiercely.

Ridley flinched at her words and a sombre expression filled her face. It was true, when Justin had found out when her birthday was he had embraced it, getting her a ghost shaped cake and dragging her out to celebrate. "Well he's not here," Ridley murmured. "Look, I'll see you later Ruby and please, please be careful tonight."

Ruby frowned before she sighed and raised her arms. "Come here Ridley," she said before grabbing her friend in a tight hug. "I know everything that's happened to you has been shit and really hard, I just want you to let it go for a while and have some fun. This shouldn't all be on your shoulders all the time."

"I know Ruby and thanks," Ridley retorted warmly before she broke away and gave a faint smile.

"Right, see you later and give me a call if you're free," Ruby added with a stern wag of her finger, "I mean that Ridley Moon. It's your birthday for frigsake and your present is epic!"

"I will Ruby, see you later."

Ridley escaped out into another drizzly day, jumped into her mustang and drove to the now painfully familiar CSI Miami headquarters. She entered the building briskly and as she headed up to the second floor she became aware that the stares were a little more lingering than usual and that some staff members seemed to be smiling at her oddly. Self-conscious, she quickened her pace until she almost bumped into Horatio.

The redhead gave her a bright eyed blue stare and cracked a small grin. "Good morning Ridley."

"Morning," she retorted as she shot him a suspicious look. His eyes twinkled like something was on his mind. "Is there something you want to say?" she queried curiously.

"Well yes," he confessed, "happy birthday."

She froze up and a look of humiliation darted through her grey-brown eyes before she hid it. "You know," she stated in surprise.

"It was part of your personal details sent to me before you arrived," he explained. "So how does one celebrate a birthday on Halloween?"

"I blow out the candles in a pumpkin and play pin the tail on the devil," Ridley answered dryly.

Speed let out a snort of amusement from behind her. Ridley realised instantly who was standing behind her, she recognised the smell of aftershave that made her think of chestnuts and leather, it was an odd but pleasant combination, enhanced with the faint odour of salt and palm trees that seemed to cling faintly to every male in Miami.

"Should I say Happy Birthday or Happy Halloween?" he queried sarcastically.

"Neither," Ridley grumbled as she continued to look up at Horatio who was now looking slightly amused.

"Let's go the office then," the redhead suggested, "Eric and Calleigh are waiting."

Inside the office they found Calleigh as perky as ever, clad in an orange vest top and black trousers. "Happy Halloween guys," she greeted happily.

"So what's the plan H?" Eric was straight to the point as he stood up upon their arrival and pointedly ignored Speed's mocking smile.

"There isn't one," Horatio answered carefully. "We know this guy's going to strike but who, when and where is anyone's guess. We've covered all the bases we can, there are points set up for children's candy to be checked and the police have been told to look out for anything that looks a little too real. If you have plans tonight go ahead with them, just keep your phones on and close. The simple fact is we can't scour this entire city all night long; all we can do is be vigilant and hope everyone else is too."

"Well we think we've made some progress with Cathy Blakely and Rachel Woods," Calleigh murmured, "I mean there were no signs of a struggle but they were lucid thanks to a cocktail of drugs and drink but still conscious when they died. So we started with footage in the club, there were a few strangers buying them drinks but nothing to suggest it was tampered with and they left with each other but no one else. Yet the evidence suggests either they were tricked by someone they knew or at the very least someone they trusted."

Ridley folded her arms and continued, "the evidence suggests they took the drugs orally, probably willingly but unknowingly. There's no evidence to suggest they went home so the obvious suspicion is that they were at someone's house."

"Right, there were plenty of house parties that night in the area so it's hard to narrow it down," Calleigh continued. "I also concluded the murder weapon was a scimitar or something similar, you can see the way the wounds curve at the edges creating those smiles, an ordinary blade wouldn't cut such a good curve and the depth and size of the curves would match that of your basic scimitar." The blonde grinned. "Well I say basic but that's not a common weapon."

"Excellent," Horatio murmured. "You know it's looking more and more like our urban legends fanatic also has an interest in collecting rare items."

"He also leaves his bodies at the crime scene," Eric piped up.

"Except once." Horatio turned his curious blue eyes on Ridley who looked back at him coldly in return.

"The exception to prove the rule maybe," Calleigh commented lightly, "or simply an exception because he was meant to be the hunter and not the hunted as it were." She was trying to gloss over the topic, unconvinced that Horatio was right to be so focused on Detective Silver.

"Ridley you say," Horatio commented matter-of-factly, "and I agree with you, that our killer seems to observe people before he strikes, picking up a routine he can take advantage of. He knew Miss Greene and Mr King were having a secret relationship, he knew that Abigail Mosley wouldn't be in the living room before the Kinskeys left to observe a statue that shouldn't be there and he obviously knew that Cathy Blakely and Rachel Woods would be out together on Friday night. So what did he observe Detective Silver doing? How did he know Detective Silver would be out of the city the night he died when no one else knew that?"

"You tell me," Ridley retorted frostily, "you seem to have some theories on the matter."

Horatio tilted his sunglasses slightly to give her a serious stare. "Theories aren't facts, we need the evidence," he retorted calmly. "Evidence Detective Silver may have died for." He wanted to push her on it but he knew she would just shut down on the matter and worse probably be flat out refuse to trust Horatio with anything else, so he backed down.

"Evidence we need to find," Ridley murmured with a slight hint of relief in her eyes. "I want to go back to the Kinskey household."

"Why?" Speed queried. "We stripped that place bare." He wondered in annoyance if she was implying that they might have missed something, he would be damned if she was going to call his expertise into question.

"Glenn Kinskey survived that night," Ridley replied as she met his heated gaze, "he is the only survivor out of all the cases."

"He hid," Calleigh pointed out, "in a hidden wardrobe."

"This guy is smart," Ridley argued as she turned to face Calleigh, "the room doubled as a wardrobe, the killer would've seen there was no wardrobe and no Glenn in the room he would have figured it out."

"So why did he leave Glenn?" Eric demanded.

"Time," Ridley retorted calmly. "The statue was with the babysitter from the start but if it freaked her out initially she didn't do much about it. Suddenly she calls the Kinskeys and says that clown statue is watching her, he must have moved it or she just panicked, so the Kinskeys tell her to get out. The Kinskeys call the police and the babysitter ends up dead on the stairs, killed by a blow to the skull from behind. Glenn said he heard the babysitter scream and then footsteps, he said he hid and the bad man hurt the twins. We know the babysitter died first from the autopsies, then he sliced the twins' throats but the call had been made to the police."

"No time to find Glenn," Horatio concluded.

"He didn't mean to leave him, it was a mistake," Ridley murmured quietly as worry filled her eyes.

"He only took one photograph," Speed commented, "at least according to Mrs Kinskey, one of all the children."

"Well we have the Kinskeys in a safe house and under guard," Horatio assured as he gave Ridley a faint, warm smile. "Meanwhile, our guy made a mistake, which means he may have left evidence. Ridley, Speed, go to the Kinskey house and look over it again."

Speed frowned and looked ready to protest but a sharp stare from Horatio made him pause.

"Just for a while," Horatio said calmly, "then you can do as you like tonight. Meanwhile, Calleigh and Eric, I want you guys looking into Cathy Blakely and Rachel Woods, either they went with someone they knew or someone they trusted, someone who betrayed that trust."

"Or some people, it takes a lot of effort to transport two drugged women and kill them," Calleigh remarked blithely.

"Well if there was more than one there must be evidence," Horatio said firmly. "I'm going to look into the Ace of Spades."

"The card of death to some, seems appropriate doesn't it?" Calleigh mused.

"Seems like someone needs to have a lot of card decks in strong supply," Eric observed with a sardonic shake of his head.

"Bingo," Horatio retorted confidently as he flashed Eric a smile. "Now, let's get going."

Ridley looked to Speed tranquilly, folded her arms and asked, "who's driving?"

"Me," he answered bluntly without hesitation, "I'm not going to trust a New Yorker behind the wheel."

"Right because a guy nicknamed Speed is going to drive safe," Ridley replied sardonically.

Calleigh let out a giggle and Eric chuckled before turning it into a very fake cough at Speed's scorning scowl.

"You'll get us lost," Speed grumbled before turning and heading for the door without waiting for a reply.

Ridley hastened after him with a slight frown and concluded that it was going to be a very long day.

Once they were gone Eric turned to Horatio and remarked with a smile, "I don't think Speed appreciates you pairing him with Happy Halloween to recheck a crime scene he went through H."

"Well it was you or him Eric and I thought you would prefer the latest crime scene with Calleigh," Horatio retorted with a small flicker of a smile.

Eric only just managed to hold back his surprised embarrassment as he wondered if Horatio perhaps knew about his growing crush on the blonde. He dismissed his fears instantly and gave Calleigh a small grin. "Slasher smiles it is then."

* * *

"Why do you always wear that necklace?" Speed queried bluntly as he glanced at the gold coin necklace briefly.

Ridley's hand went to it instinctively before she dropped her hand into her lap and glanced over at Speed. His driving was swift and without hesitation but she had to admit, if only to herself, it was still a bit safer than hers. "Why not?" she evaded the question.

"Does it mean something?" he pressed for an explanation.

"It's a reminder of a promise to someone," she answered softly.

Speed scowled pointedly ahead and wondered to himself why he was even bothering to attempt to get to know the woman. He chose not to say to anything else and instead pointedly focused on his driving.

Ridley sank back in her seat wearily, she knew Speed was probably just attempting small talk but the necklace was too a touchy subject for her to get into it and she couldn't be sure that Speed wouldn't tell Horatio anything she said. 'He's not the type to run and gossip,' she thought to herself, 'quite the opposite really but still, Horatio has a way of getting to know what he needs to.'

After ten minutes of awkward silence Speed ventured onto a new topic. "Any plans for tonight?"

"Maybe, not really sure yet," Ridley confessed.

Speed turned and gave her a look of disbelief. "No plans for your birthday," he stated dryly, "on Halloween night."

"Ruby wants me to go out with her," Ridley admitted as she frowned back at him, "and probably a few other people."

"Right, well you should, it's your birthday," Speed grumbled before turning his brown gaze back onto the road.

"Well I might," Ridley snapped back almost childishly. He was making her feel like a loner for not having plans which she felt was a little unfair given she was quite far from home. "I don't live here so it's not exactly the normal birthday for me," she reminded him defensively.

Speed let out a mocking snort. "Normal birthday, on Halloween?" he retorted sarcastically.

"Yeah I blow out the candles in a pumpkin, go ducking for apples, unwrap mummy costumes and go ghost hunting, why, doesn't everyone do that on their birthday?" she retorted with mock sincerity and a feigned look of surprise.

Speed let out a short chuckle at that despite himself. 'At least she can laugh at herself,' he thought admiringly. "Can't say I've blown out a pumpkin on my birthday," he confessed.

"You should try it," Ridley insisted, "instead of a wish you get a visit from a ghost."

"Man you are weird," Speed replied with a shake of his head and a taunting smile.

"Born in Sleepy Hollow on Halloween," Ridley replied flatly, "what chance did I have of normality?"

"Fair point."

They finally reached the Kinskey household which still had police tape sealing it off. Speed pulled up on the kerb outside and they exited the car to the drizzly rain and hastened up to the house. Ridley paused at the front door and looked at it curiously.

"What is it?" Speed queried wearily as he inspected his camera.

"We didn't find any signs of forced entry," Ridley murmured, "and the Kinskeys say they probably didn't have their back door locked that night. I don't know, I want to retrace the killer's steps I guess."

"Right, to the back then," Speed grumbled.

Ridley led the way down the side of the house, pausing at the wooden gate leading into the back garden. She inspected it carefully before opening it and heading into the simple grass and tiled garden.

"I've already been through all this you know," Speed reminded her, "I took pictures of the entire property and honestly I don't think I'd have missed prints."

"I'm not questioning your CSI skills Tim," Ridley assured him, "I just..." She paused in frustration and sighed before glancing over her shoulder at the unimpressed male. "We're out of time," she explained, "he's going to strike again and we have nothing and... I promised Glenn I would get this monster and now I'm terrified he might get Glenn too and I can't live with that. So I have to go back to the scene because there has to be something."

Speed frowned back at her though he took in the worry and anger in her brown-grey eyes. "Alright," he agreed grudgingly, "but we're not hanging about here all day, I have a date tonight."

"Well I won't keep you," Ridley said with a forced smile before she turned back to the house and opened the back door. He looked good today, dressed in a soft, black shirt, jeans and black shoes, an interesting mix of alternative professional that suited him so well. Ridley couldn't help but think quietly that with stubble have grown out for three days and his hair fluffy from the rain he looked very attractive today.

"Why exactly do we think police tape will keep out robbers, daredevils and fools?" she pondered aloud in an attempt to distract herself from her inappropriate thoughts.

"We don't," Speed answered dryly, "we just don't have the manpower to guard a house. Besides, if it wasn't open we wouldn't be getting in."

"Legally."

"What?" He stared at her dubiously.

"We wouldn't be getting in legally Tim," Ridley answered brightly as they stepped into the dark hall, "but we would still be getting in." She clicked on the light and then froze at the gesture.

"What now?" Speed questioned impatiently as he looked about the hall. Everything looked the same as before to him, every inch of it had been dusted down, photographed and scrutinised.

"Just the layout of the house, it's a dark hall with the light off, hard to see your way down, click it on and everything's illuminated, no hiding places. Except," she hurried forward, "a small cubby under the stairs." She tugged open the door, pulled out her phone, hit the torch on it and shone it in. "He hid in here, he must have," she insisted, "there was nowhere else. The living room is at the right, so he must have had the statue in the back garden, sneaked it in and then hid himself. He couldn't have risked going upstairs at that point, not with the Kinskeys still around and Glen heard him on those stairs, so the babysitter would have too. No, he hid right here Tim."

Speed sighed. "Alright, let me get a photo to add to the collection," he muttered, "then we'll check for the umpteenth time for DNA."

"Everyone leaves DNA," Ridley insisted as she stepped back, "everyone, and we have his on file in New York, I know it, we just can't match it but if we find something here and there's a match then we will know for sure."

Speed raised the camera and snapped a couple of shots. "Do you like this job?" he pondered aloud.

Ridley gave him a curious look and answered, "being a detective? I loved it once; right up until this asshole came along and ruined everything, now...I don't know to be honest."

Speed nodded. "It's just a paycheque to me," he confessed, "I mean no matter how hard or long you work there's always still going to be crime and far more criminals than CSI."

"I thought that once too but then I thought at least if I do something it's one less criminal on the streets and one more family with answers and one is always better than none."

"Do you still believe that?" he pried.

Ridley shook her head with a slight frown. "I have thirteen families without answers now and the numbers just keep growing." She turned away from him, knelt down and held her phone forward, searching in each corner desperately. Of course it had already been dusted and inspected but one tiny hair was easy to miss and she had to hope.

She leaned forward into the cupboard, recoiling slightly as dust tickled her eyes. There was nothing, try as she might she couldn't even find a scrap of cloth. She was surprised at the relief that filled her, putting Tim out of sight for just a moment. There was something annoyingly distractive and off-putting about him today. She pulled back in frustration, stood up and moved down the hall and into the living room. She tensed at the sight of the late Darcy and Greg's smiling faces and shook her head sadly. "Only four," she murmured before she stepped into the room.

"What does he get out this?" Speed wondered as he lifted his camera again.

"I don't know," Ridley confessed, "attention? His victims don't have anything in common and they vary in age, gender, colour, everything really, no pensioners or anyone under four yet but that might not last. He doesn't leave any messages, just the Ace of Spades; I think he's simply a nut who wants an entry in the history books alongside Jack Ripper and the Zodiac Killer."

After looking around the living room they finally headed upstairs and into Glenn's room, where the secret wardrobe remained open. "Glenn could barely talk about any of this," Ridley said quietly, "he babbled about footsteps while he was hiding in here. I think he was here Tim, right here, just inches from Glenn and I think the police disturbed him." She shuddered at the thought as she inspected the soft, blue carpet. She got down on her hands and knees and hunted under the bed. Her face paled as she plucked out a card. When she leaned back and held it up under the light she felt her stomach turn in revulsion, it was half a card, half of the Ace of Spades to be precise.

"Well it's good you're wearing gloves even if they aren't weather appropriate," Speed mused as he lifted his camera and took a shot of the half card in her red gloved hand.

"He's mocking us," she murmured, "half a card because he didn't get his victim this time. Shit he's toying with us! I mean half now and half later? What if he's going after Glenn next?"

"Then we'll get him," Speed assured thought he didn't believe it. "The kid's under secure guard twenty-four, seven as per Horatio. Bag the card and we'll show it to H."

Ridley nodded as she tugged a plastic, sealed bag out of her handbag, opened it and dropped the half card into it. She resealed the bag and hunted about the floor once more. She turned to the wardrobe and tried to visualise a shadowy man standing there, so close to poor Glenn Kinskey. "He killed the twins first, Glen said he heard that." She jumped up and immediately hurried to the twins' bedroom.

"What's your point this time?" Speed demanded as he followed after her at a much slower pace.

"They were asleep in their beds and he cut their throats but at least one of them woke up when he entered their room," Ridley explained, "they must have otherwise what did Glenn hear? So there was some sort of struggle, there must have been." She halted in the room and inspected the bloodstained beds. The sheets and pillows were gone, all sent to forensics but the bare mattresses remained. "Look," she said as she pointed to the bed on the right, "there are blood spatters on the wall, if she was sleeping it would have leaked all over the bed, that poor girl was sitting up when he struck."

Speed lifted his camera once more and grudgingly took a photo though he knew he already had several of the blood spatters. "Ridley we've got all this," he insisted moodily.

"I know," she retorted impatiently before pausing and waving her right hand down as she repeated quietly, "I know." She stepped up to the late Darcy's bed; there was a small gap between the wall and the bed. "You wake up and see an intruder and you're only four, you sink back against the wall in fear and scream," Ridley murmured. "Only four, you can't have been in bed alone." She glanced about the bed suspiciously before dropping to the floor and crawling under the bed. "Shit!"

"What?" Speed moved an inch forward.

"Spider," Ridley grumbled, "never mind. Frigging fast buggers." She continued moving forward, there was a lot of clutter under the bed, several abandoned toys, books and teddies that would never be played with again. She flashed her phone over them slowly, pausing when she glimpsed a worn dog's ear poking up from a small pile of teddies and dolls. She stretched forward and tugged out the toy, it was a small, bloodstained dog with lopsided black ears. She pulled back with her prize and held it up to Tim triumphantly. "She had a teddy and there's blood on it, so she must have dropped it as she was cut or..."

"Or?"

"He took it and threw it down there, either way it's evidence." She pulled out another bag and placed the teddy within it carefully.

After another hour Speed finally called it quits and insisted they retreat for the day. Ridley returned with him to the car with her head bowed in defeat. She placed the two plastic bags of evidence in the backseat before sighing and buckling in.

Speed started up the engine and began to drive, the rain was getting heavier but the forecast promised it was just for the day and would be dry all night, something Pam was happy about as she was adamant about going out. He contemplated heading back to the lab, dumping the evidence and Ridley and heading back home to change but then he glanced at Ridley out of the corner of his deep brown eyes. She looked so forlorn he couldn't resist feeling a sliver of pity for her.

Her stomach gave a low growl prompting Speed to look her way pointedly. "Are you hungry?" he asked sarcastically.

"A little peckish maybe," she answered calmly without a hint of embarrassment.

"Okay."

She glanced at him curiously wondering what exactly 'okay' meant but chose not to query it. She turned instead to look in the backseat where his camera sat. "Nikon R1C1, that's a good model," she murmured.

"It does the job," he answered with little interest.

"It does a damn good job."

He shrugged. "Do you take photos?"

"Sometimes, but not for work."

"It gets monotonous after a while," he complained.

"Most things do," Ridley retorted calmly before she turned back ahead. She looked puzzled as she realised they were at the edge of town. "Shortcut?" she ventured a guess.

"Lunch," Speed answered as he pulled into a space outside a chain of takeaways. "If noodles suit, I'm hungry too." He turned off the engine and got out without waiting for a reply.

Ridley followed after him into the rain and over to a noodles takeaway. They ordered quickly and were soon back in the car again, hair frizzy and skin damp as they sat with an open box of noodles each and watched people hurrying by as the windows steamed up.

Speed had his box devoured in seconds and abandoned it to his back seat before turning back round again with the camera in his hands. He clicked it on, raised it up and snapped a quick photo without warning.

Ridley paused, noodle half hanging out of her mouth, eyes wide in shock and rapidly hardening in rage. She wavered between speech and finishing the noodle before sucking it up hastily. "Um what just happened?" she demanded.

"It's just in case you don't go out for your birthday, now there's at least one photo to remember it by," Speed replied calmly as his eyes twinkled tauntingly.

"Right, one super attractive photo of me eating noodles, nice," she retorted sarcastically before tugging up some more noodles in her chopsticks. "Isn't that misuse of CSI equipment?"

"It's my camera, I'll do whatever the hell I want with it," he answered defensively with a slight frown.

"Well it's only my twenty-eighth birthday, hardly one to remember," she murmured.

Speed shrugged before snapping another photo. "Just in case," he jested with a smirk.

"What the hell?" Ridley snarled before she yanked up two noodles and flung them at him, instantly wiping the smirk from his face.

"Real mature," he scorned before he plucked the noodles off his top with a shake of his head, wound down the window and flung them out before winding it up again.

"Coming from Mr. Snappy Happy."

"Fine, you don't want any photos I won't take any," he replied in annoyance before placing his camera back in the backseat.

"Just not any with noodles hanging out of my mouth," she complained. "Thanks for the noodles by the way."

He hesitated in his response to her, staring at her water frizzed hair briefly and then her pale, soaked face. "Consider that your birthday lunch," he retorted sardonically before starting up the car engine.

* * *

In the office Horatio waited impatiently for a fax from New York to come through. He had spent the better half of an hour making several phone calls and sending numerous e-mails, as well as calling in multiple favours and offering some all in an attempt to find out a trivial piece of information. Who had Detective Silver killed?

Horatio considered it might not be important or even relevant, according to what he had learned there had been a brief investigation into it before any suspicions were dismissed. Whoever Detective Silver had killed had been a lowlife evidently. Still, Horatio needed to know. Detective Silver had never wounded or killed anyone with his gun save for this one and only victim, he had barely fired his gun in all his years of duty in fact whilst Ridley had been almost trigger-happy.

It was as the fax machine finally came life that Calleigh entered the room. "Hi Horatio," she greeted brightly, "I didn't realise you were here."

Horatio didn't respond, instead he snatched up the fax that had just come through. One grainy photo and a name with a few sparse details below it. He felt himself turn cold and for the first time in a long time he was stunned.

"Something wrong?" Calleigh asked with a look of concern. Horatio looked perplexed, shocked even, it was not an expression she had often seen on him and it made her worry.

"The late Detective Silver rarely used his gun," Horatio murmured quietly, "he injured no one and killed only once. I was curious so I made enquiries."

"Why?" Calleigh demanded sharply, unable to keep the anger from her voice or her eyes. She folded her arms and looked to her superior with unimpressed blue eyes. "Horatio what does it matter who he killed or why?"

Horatio looked up at Calleigh slowly with a serious, careful blue stare. "It matters Calleigh because it's someone I was once after. One Samuel Hawkes, although he was using the name Carl Bluestone when Detective Silver shot him down in cold blood. I met him fourteen years ago; he was the chief suspect in an early case of mine in New York."

"Well what happened?" Calleigh demanded as her eyes widened in surprise.

"His stepdaughter Felicity Chase went missing, I was called in as part of the investigating team; her mother reported her missing after two days. She said her daughter did it all the time, ran off when she fell out with her family, so Mrs Hawkes didn't think anything of it when it happened again. It took five days to find her and Calleigh it wasn't pretty."

"So what about this Hawkes guy?" Calleigh pried. "Why did you let him go?"

"Felicity wouldn't give us anything, she refused to implicate him and despite finding prints all over the scene we didn't have enough evidence to demand his but it wouldn't have mattered because although with them we could place him at the location we couldn't fit him at the time. I got Felicity alone from him, and swore he would go to prison with her statement but she just got scared and started babbling about riddles."

"Riddles?" Calleigh echoed in bafflement.

Horatio rubbed his forehead with his right hand and nodded in frustration. "She was in shock. I wanted to keep pushing it but I got ordered off, the job was done, the girl was found, alive, and that was all anyone cared about. It didn't matter that her kidnapper and rapist was still out there and capable of doing it all over again once we left."

"Well New York is a big place but it's still just one big place," the blonde murmured, "maybe Detective Silver ran into him and knew him for a criminal or maybe it's just a coincidence."

"Now Calleigh," Horatio murmured as he stared down at the fax thoughtfully, "you know I don't believe in them."


	8. Chapter 8- Happy Halloween

Ridley looked up at the large house with unease, uncertain as to how she had been talked into this. Even the wine from earlier with Ruby was not doing much for her nerves. She couldn't be sure if it was the house itself, being out for Halloween when she knew there was a psychopath itching to strike, or being out with Brian and his friend, one Will Maguire, an attractive thirty-two-year-old who Ruby seemed determined to set Ridley up with. The fact that Ridley had abandoned him to go on with Ruby and the others to a bar previously made tonight a little awkward to say the least. Of course Ruby claimed to have smoothed it over by assuring Will that it wasn't him but Ridley, and then informing him and Brian that it was Ridley's birthday.

The now twenty-eight-year-old had to admit it that it was kind of sweet to come back to wine and a small cupcake with a candle in it and then to have Brian, Will and Ruby sing to her. It almost made her want to let go for night and just forget, as Horatio had firmly advised her to do when she had offered to go on patrol or work in some form or another throughout the night. She had had no intentions of going anywhere but of course Ruby had made plans and assured a place for Ridley on the chance that she would be free, and given that she had also commandeered a form of costume for Ridley and presented her with a brand new camera as a birthday present, well of course Ridley was powerless to say no.

So now here they were, four of them standing in costume in queue for Bramble Mansion's exclusive, ticket only Halloween party, which promised to deliver an authentic haunted house. It was Brian who had gotten the tickets, bought on offer supposedly though Ridley suspected he had probably been ripped off.

She felt guilty being out; even Ruby's firm reminders that a job was a job and one was allowed to enjoy their time off didn't help. Ridley felt having left her normal place of work to come her meant she should be working non-stop lest one, someone think her presence here was unwarranted and indeed unhelpful or two, someone might think that she thought this was a holiday. Part of her knew she was being unfair to herself, even in a different city she was still entitled to a break from work but still, her name was starting to appear in the papers linked to this serial killer and the guilt over it was growing.

As she waited she took note of the costumes, some were decently scary, many horrendously revealing and a few were rather well done DIY jobs. She smiled faintly at the sight of an undead bride and groom and had to appreciate the trio of Dracula, the mummy and the werewolf, and then roll her eyes at the zombie cheerleaders who had smeared blood over their very exposed busts. She then glanced down at her own thrown together costume, a short, black, flared skirt, a short sleeved, low cut, white gypsy top (Ruby's), knee high, white socks, black Mary Jane shoes, and then the red hooded cloak and small, decorative picnic basket Ruby had bought for her. The cloak fell to her waist and had a nice bow at the front to keep it in place whilst the basket was simply impractical and awkward to carry with a handbag but for Ruby she had agreed to it. Red Riding Hood, it was cheesy but Ridley had gone along with it, after all she had no costume of her own and Ruby was adamant that she come out and take part in honour of her birthday.

As they moved forward in the queue she found herself wondering if any of the Miami crew were participating, did or would participate in the novelties of Halloween. She could tell that neither Horatio nor Speed would dress up or even allow themselves to don a mask or a pair of ears or something remotely costume related. Speed would likely throw on a band's t-shirt with the devil or something on it and call it festive in an ironic manner whilst Horatio would probably continue wearing one of his many suits and just dismiss the holiday as another rowdy night in Miami. She thought Calleigh and Eric might join in however if they had anywhere to go, she could see Calleigh looking cute with a pair of cat ears or Eric wearing a tacky skull mask, they both at least knew how to have fun.

At last they entered the house and had their tickets collected and snapped in half by a bored looking cowgirl who then handed them back the other half and waved them into the large open hallway. The staircase was grand and old-fashioned, the first ten steps long and wide, curving down and outwards to welcome guests, at the top of the ten there was a large stretch of floor with several sufficiently creepy looking portraits above them, there the stairs divided to the left and the right, winding on up to the second floor.

The house had been decorated with torches in bronze holders, cobwebs, ghost lanterns, masks, and numerous pumpkins that grinned sinisterly from every table and shelf. There were also realistic mummy statues, zombie heads, and mirrors that flickered to show ghostly images every so often. Whoever was hosting the party had certainly spared no expense. Loud music and chatter filled the halls and it wasn't long before they found themselves herded along into a room decorated like a laboratory in which the nibbles and drinks seemed to be being served by people dressed as mutated experiments gone wrong or mad lab technicians with wild hair and huge glasses.

Ridley snickered at the sight and wondered what Speed and Eric would make of the mad lab technicians costumes. She doubted Alexx would think much of the morgue table to the left that also acted as a drinks table.

"Can I get you a drink?" Will queried as he looked to Ridley calmly. He was almost six feet tall, all muscle with a warm, brown tan, soft, pale brown hair, bright, blue eyes and a charming smile. An apprenticing solicitor he was intelligent as well as good looking and yet Ridley found it hard to warm him hard as she and he both tried.

"Sure," she retorted quickly with a tense smile.

He looked to Brian who glanced at Ruby and quipped, "white wine?"

Ruby nodded enthusiastically before Brian gave a nod and disappeared into the crowd of wings, tails and horns with Will. Ruby turned on Ridley immediately with a passionate gleam in her emerald eyes that was ruined by her Little Bo Beep costume. "Well, what do you think of Will?" she demanded.

"He's alright," Ridley answered non-committantly.

Ruby rolled her eyes in scorn. "He's better than alright," she protested, "he's a sexy lawyer, well almost lawyer! Look I know you're only here for a while but it's been so long since you just had fun and it's your birthday so give Will a chance."

Ridley sighed and gave a slight frown. "I'm on a case," she said quietly as she leaned into her friend to be audible over the noise, "and yes I'm out tonight for my birthday but he's out somewhere tonight too."

"Well you can't do anything about it," Ruby grumbled, "and getting worried about it doesn't help. Relax Ridley, it's out of your control, burden yourself with it tomorrow if you have to but not tonight."

Ridley nodded reluctantly. "Okay," she murmured though she didn't sound convincing.

"Hey I know you went home with that cop, Swift or Speed or whatever his name was, but you haven't been with him since and we both know why you did it," Ruby chided with a serious expression.

Ridley frowned back at her and murmured, "it was a one time, drunken thing, there was nothing to it."

Ruby placed her hands on her hips and shook her head scornfully. "It's a you thing," she scorned, "you freak out sometimes and you get scared so you go out of your way to go with guys who you think can protect you- cops, security officers, ex-army or navy. I mean I don't get it Ridley, you have training and a gun."

"I don't look for protection," Ridley retorted defensively.

Ruby held up a hand in protest. "Alright, we're out for your birthday so let's not fight but just loosen up and give Will a chance, he's not a guy with a gun but I'm sure he's still great."

Ridley frowned but nodded anyway.

As the night wore on Ridley welcomed more wine and made an attempt to have fun, even granting Will a couple of dances. He then took her by the hand and pulled her through the crowds and themed rooms before they accidentally stumbled into a room designed as a torture chamber.

Ridley paused and looked about in wide eyed horror as her palm became sweaty against Will's. The room had plush, purple velvet cushions against the wall on which people were making out whilst above them very real looking bodies twitched and shook in their metal bonds. Real, half-naked women in rhinestone underwear danced in cages suspended from the ceiling, and in a corner a few men and women dared each other to be chained up against the wall and subjected to the torment of a feather duster, or soft edged whip.

Ridley felt sick, it was meant to a kinky mockery of torture but all she saw were the fake bodies jerking against their chains, powerless to escape. "I have to get out of here," she mumbled as she tugged free from Will.

Will gave her an odd look and said, "why? What's wrong?" He reached out for her with one hand and she pulled away sharply with a shake of her head.

"No I have to go." She turned swiftly in a panic, tripped over a ball and chain and gave a grunt of pain as she collided with a small crowd of people. She struggled free from them, elbowing two in the process and earning a violent shove for her efforts. She stumbled back, turned and hit the metal glove extending from a suit of armour hard. She dropped her basket and gave a wince as her right eye immediately flared in pain.

"Ridley!" Will protested as she made to bolt for her door. He reached out and grabbed the end of her cloak. "Calm down," he snapped moodily.

She ignored him and tore free, abandoning her cloak behind her as she raced from the room and moved in a hurried panicked fashion to the main doors, not caring who she shoved and elbowed out of her way to get there. When she burst out to the fresh night air she found the porch crowded with smokers and drunks as people loitered around the front lawn either hoping to sneak in or simply seeking fresh air.

It had started to rain, prompting people to start manoeuvring up to the porch, making it difficult to escape down from. It was instantly better though and she felt a little calmer but it wasn't enough for her to feel safe on the porch and so she moved on at a brisk pace, struggling through the small crowd to escape down to the front garden.

"Holy shit!" Eric Delko could barely contain his laugh as he realised he recognised the slightly alarmed woman who had stumbled down from the porch wild eyed. He gently eased off the angel known as Natasha who had invited him to the party and took a step forward. "Ridley! Hey Ridley!"

The rain was getting heavier so he supposed either she couldn't hear him or was ignoring him. Eric couldn't be sure which it was as she successfully tripped over a small cluster of pumpkins and landed square on her rear on the damp ground. The laughter slipped out before he could help it though his conscience compelled him to go and help her, but she was on her feet before he could get near and scurrying off once more, into a crowd of rabbits, fairies and vampires.

Eric attempted to give chase, genuinely concerned for the woman now but the rain continued to pour, growing heavier by the second and forcing the crowds against him. He grumbled a curse as he struggled free from the groups of drunken party goers.

"Hey Delko what are you doing?"

Eric glanced over his shoulder to where Speed was standing waving at him from under the porch with Pam and Natasha, who had moved over to them when Eric had headed from the porch towards Ridley.

"Hey Speed!" Eric called back cheerfully as he wiped some of the rain from his eyes. "You owe me $50! I just saw Ridley!" he called as he hastened back up the porch and over to them.

Speed frowned and shook his head chidingly. "Sure thing Eric," he mocked.

"I did!" Eric protested. "Out and partying, well sort of!" he yelled over the rain. "I don't know what costume she had on and she was running away but she was still here!"

"Running away?" Speed echoed dubiously as he folded his arms. "That's real convenient for you."

"This is a house party," Eric said firmly, "and she just came running out of it, so I win, Miss Sleepy Hollow does party on Halloween."

"Well where is she now?" Speed queried curiously.

Eric shook his head in annoyance. "I don't know where she went, she was acting a bit weird, just ran out of the place, look I tried to give chase but since she wasn't bleeding and no one's screaming I think she was just drunk. Look it's pouring out here in case you don't know so I'm going to head in but you owe me $50!"

"It was probably just someone who looked like her," Speed argued as they started to head in. He still wasn't sure what the hell he was doing at this thing, a Halloween party was hardly his idea of fun but Pam had gotten the tickets and then when Eric had called to mention he was going Speed had caved in and reluctantly tagged along with Pam. Eric's argument was that it was still a night out with the promise of plenty of free alcohol and hot women dressed even more suggestively than the norm in Miami plus none of them had been out in ages and they were all at risk of becoming anti-social if they didn't take advantage of the one night off Horatio was willing to grant them. It had been a compelling argument and Speed had reasoned with himself that it was better that wasting a precious evening off in the house but now after suffering through so much tackiness, glitter, fake blood, feathers, bad props and annoying drunks who kept jabbing and poking people with spears, whips, tridents, staffs, brooms, ears, wings, tails, and other odd accessories, he was beginning to regret not staying in the house.

"It was her," Eric said firmly.

Speed paused and looked at his colleague with a serious brown eyed stare. "Well," he spoke up reluctantly, "maybe we should go after her then."

Eric grinned back mockingly. "Wow you really want me to earn that $50 don't you?"

"Well that and...I hate to say it but it's dark, wet and dangerous out there," Speed commented dryly.

"I know," Eric retorted calmly, "and I tried to follow her but I lost her in the crowd. Come on, we don't know which she went and she is a cop, a New York cop at that, she can handle herself."

Speed nodded, deciding that the ire in Pam's eyes promised an argument that pursuing the matter probably wasn't worth. When the guys started walking on Pam and Natasha's gazes softened and they started to mingle. When they reached the laboratory room Speed and Eric exchanged a look of disgust.

"Now this genuinely is scary," Speed sneered.

"This is more of a health hazard than your house," Eric taunted.

"Don't go into comedy Delko," Speed replied dryly with a wilting look.

Ten minutes later when they found themselves in a ballroom decorated with large chandeliers and hanging ghosts, Speed spotted a familiar face, which was impressive given the numerous masks and wigs in use. "Fuck," the word escaped him before he could help it. When a pair of emerald eyes looked his way and filled with recognition he muttered quickly, "I'm away for a smoke."

Eric watched in bafflement and Pam with a seething stare of suspicion as his friend darted for the doors whilst Little Bo Beep of all things starting chasing after him shouting, "hey! Hey! Swift boy!"

* * *

Solitude, it was something that Horatio Caine had once appreciated but now he was starting to wonder if he just accepted it rather than enjoyed it. He was alone at home as usual, and there was nothing in or outside his house to give any indication of Halloween, to him it was just another Miami evening.

He leaned back in his black, leather couch, rubbed his eyes briefly with his right hand and looked to the half drunk glass of scotch with a tired expression. It had been a very long time since this particular brand of alcohol had ever tempted him, over fourteen years to be precise. He had been a rookie then in New York and did not command the authority or clout that he did now in Miami.

He remembered the case of Felicity Chase all too well; they hadn't thought she would turn up alive. It had been lucky that they had found her at all, he hated to admit it, even now, but it really had been luck. They had taken their search to the outskirts of the town, walked through several fields and just by chance someone had stepped on a part of ground that seemed to echo beneath their feet- a bunker.

Horatio had put the evidence together quickly and he knew it was Felicity's stepfather Samuel Hawkes who was behind her kidnapping, rape, beatings and false imprisonment; one just had to see the way the girl had tensed and looked at him when he had come to the hospital with false sentiments of relief. Alas, without Felicity implicating him Horatio's attempts to prove Samuel's guilt had been thwarted and the case had fallen apart despite his vehement protests. The girl was alive, that was all his superiors had cared about.

He had understood her fear of the man but what he had not understood was why that fear was not great enough to ensure he was jailed. Horatio had gotten her alone, swore that all she had to do was implicate him once to the cops and that he could do the rest with the evidence but she had just shaken her head and babbled about a 'riddle'. It was like there had been something she had desperately wanted to tell him but couldn't, even alone. He remembered those sunken, doe like brown eyes, so full of fear, pleading to him and how he had failed them.

He wondered now what had become of her, so Hawkes was dead at least but what torment had he put her through before then? And why had Detective Silver killed him? Hawkes had had an alias, and it was hard to imagine that Detective Silver had somehow just known who and what he was. What was the connection then?

He reached for his glass and took another gulp. He tried to picture Felicity, fourteen, thin, bruised and cut from head to toe with wild, tattered, blonde hair and terrified brown eyes. He was itching to reopen the case but it wasn't his and he doubted it would be easy to gain access to it; New York was already peeved with him demanding so much information on Detectives Silver and Moon. According to Detective Silver's report he had shot Samuel Hawkes dead with a single shot, his story was vague, something about Hawkes threatening him and reaching for a weapon, nothing about him knowing that Hawkes was Hawkes rather than Carl Bluestone, and nothing about Detective Silver even talking to him long enough to know he was going by Carl Bluestone. There was no reason as to why Hawkes would have threatened Detective Silver and so the natural conclusion was because of his chequered past but Horatio wasn't buying that, Hawkes had never been convicted after all, or even tried for that matter. His alias was because he was into dodgy drug deals in New York City but again, Detective Silver could not have known that.

It had been a farce of a case, no one but Horatio was even willing to contemplate the stepdad as the kidnapper, most of the cops thought his concern seemed genuine but Horatio was convinced it was only genuine because it was concern for himself not the stepdaughter he had beaten and abused. Without Felicity suggesting any blame towards him no one would entertain the idea of Hawkes being connected to the crime and so there had been no warrant and no investigation on the man and when Felicity had not given much details on her assailant they had come down hard on her and suggested she was withholding evidence. It had been so ridiculous and cruel but Horatio had been powerless to stop it and in the end they had all walked away, including Hawkes.

"Riddle," he murmured in frustration, "what did she mean? What riddle did I fail to solve?"

He remembered looking about her room for clues, her worn, beaten and half-drunk mother's complaints that her daughter always ran away and then her worried grumbles that she didn't stay away as long as she had this time. Grooves in the carpet suggesting her chest of drawers had often been pushed in front of the bedroom door, and clothes in a backpack had suggested an intent to run away but also proved that she probably hadn't, not without her backpack and...

"Grandmother's necklace," Horatio murmured the revelation aloud as his sharp, blue eyes widened. The gold star necklace Ridley was wearing in Ruby's photo, the necklace he knew he had seen before. Felicity Chase's necklace, found in her room and identified by her mother as her grandmother's, a necklace Felicity prized above all her other possessions. She had been wearing it the day he had been ordered off the case, she had claimed faintly that it was because she was fond of it but Horatio had suspected she was just trying to hide the ligature marks on her neck.

He contemplated that it could just be a similar necklace but then dismissed the thought just as quickly; it had been old and ornate, beautiful and unusual with engravings on the stars, just as there were on Ridley's. So how could Ridley Moon have possibly come into possession of Felicity Chase's necklace?

Horatio tightened his grasp on the glass and downed the last of the scotch. 'Detective Silver knew who he was shooting,' he decided firmly with a slight frown, 'and Ridley knows all about it.'

* * *

There she was, not a million miles as Eric had thought, but at the edge of the property leaning against one of the stone posts with a tired expression. Speed spotted her only after five minutes of standing scanning the crowds wearily from the porch where he smoked. Most people had gone inside with the heavy rain but it was dark and most of the pumpkins on the path had burned out so she was still difficult to notice. At first he had dismissed her as some other woman ill dressed for the weather but after a second glance when she pushed her soaked dark hair back he knew.

Speed sighed, put out his cigarette and contemplated going back in; surely she was waiting for Ruby, who he had narrowly evaded, after all. Curiosity overrode sense however and he found himself slipping out into the rain and hurrying towards her.

"So this is how you celebrate your birthday?" he quipped mockingly as he neared her. "Standing in the rain? What are you meant to be anyway?"

"Little Red Riding Hood," she grumbled as she turned his way, "but I lost my cloak. This city is smaller than you'd think," she said sardonically, "or is this just the party to be at in Miami?"

"Eric and I came with friends, we had tickets," Speed retorted calmly. His eyes widened and filled with anger when he spotted the swelling at her right eye that promised a bruise. "Who did that?" he demanded.

Ridley gave a faint smile and shook her head. "Me," she confessed lightly, "tripped and banged my eye off one of the decorations."

Speed couldn't help but crack a smile at that. "So, Red Riding Hood without the Red Riding Hood," he murmured dryly.

"That's right," she enthused as her smile widened, "pretty good huh?"

He shook his head chidingly. "And why are you standing out in the rain?" He could smell the wine on her breath but she didn't seem any worse off than him and his four beers so he didn't believe this was just the nonsensical actions of a drunk woman.

She shrugged. "I felt like it," she lied.

"Well do you feel like going inside and maybe not getting soaked?" he suggested as his own hair turned soggy and fluffy.

She shook her head. "No, I don't."

He frowned and took a step closer. She flinched when he reached out a hand to her eye and touched it lightly. "Well you should," he scolded, "and you should get that looked at in the morning." His hand wavered as he saw a strand of her hair hanging just in front of her eye. He pushed it back quickly and withdrew his hand. "You can't want to celebrate your birthday out here like this. Your friend is inside, did you fall out?"

"No," she dismissed, "I'm just not a fan of Halloween parties to be honest, ironic I know."

"They do seem to get worse every year," Speed grumbled.

Ridley smiled at this. "I'm glad we're both having such a good time," she jested.

Speed gave a half smile at this. "Maybe not in the rain."

Ridley glanced upwards at the dark sky above and then turned her stare back on Speed, no costume as expected, just jeans, a t-shirt, an open black shirt over it and a black jacket that was doing nothing for the rain. "You should go back to your friends," she urged.

"So you should you."

"Ruby will be fine, she's with Brian," Ridley murmured, "I'll give her a text."

"And go where?" Speed pried. Any other night and he might not have concerned himself but this was her birthday and... 'And what?' he wondered coolly. 'What the hell do I care?'

Ridley shrugged. "Oh I don't know, for a walk on the beach, seems like a great time to do that," she joked. "No, I'll go back to Ruby's."

"Alone, on your birthday," Speed stated flatly, knowing that she was lying.

"Yes."

"Did you even blow the candles in a pumpkin?"

She gave a short laugh at that. "No, but maybe that's a New York thing."

Speed glanced about them and gave a small, satisfied smile when he spotted one pumpkin still grinning a lit up smile beneath the porch. He took Ridley's palm, damp hand and tugged her up towards it. "Come on, I want to see this for real," he insisted, "otherwise I'm going to assume you were talking shit."

They stopped on the wooden porch and took a brief moment to wipe some of the raindrops off their faces before Speed lifted the small pumpkin up and held it out to Ridley. "Make a wish," he said dryly.

Ridley pulled a feigned expression of annoyance before she leaned forward as he held up the pumpkin. Speed watched as her fair skin became illuminated by the flickering flames and a bright spark filled her brown-grey eyes making them all the more vibrant. There was something different about her, the shadows that clung to her were more pronounced and her skin was almost grey and yet as she got closer to the flames and her eyes widened and her lips parted in anticipation something seemed to fill her, a heated spark of life, something bright, beautiful and sadly not powerful enough to completely banish the shadows. He realised that it was something forgotten, that as she blew out the flames in the eyes she probably really was re-enacting an old tradition that had once probably been fun but was now just a reminder of painful memories.

She closed her eyes briefly as she blew the final candle out, turning the pumpkin's mouth dark. When she opened her eyes again Speed suddenly felt awkward, standing clutching a pumpkin like an idiot. "Make a wish?" he quipped teasingly before he turned and plonked the pumpkin back where it had come from.

"Of course," she retorted happily. She stared up at him and he looked back uneasily, prompting her to say, "you should go back to the party now."

"You know it's not exactly my thing in case that's not obvious," he retorted dismissively. "Look," he said suddenly, "I want to go and you obviously do too so give me five minutes to tell Delko and we can go together." He saw her part her lips to protest and added sternly, "Ridley I know you're not going to go to Ruby's for whatever reason and it is your birthday."

"Okay."

"Good." He went to go to the doors before hesitating and turning back to her. He tugged off his dark jacket and thrust it out at her like it was diseased. "As usual you're not dressed appropriately," he scorned her, "and I'd look like a jackass wearing a jacket and a shirt while you're soaked from head to toe."

"I don't mind," she murmured.

"Just take the damn jacket."

Ridley accepted and Speed then turned and hastened back to the club to make his excuses. Eric wasn't all that bothered as he had Natasha cuddling into him but he was more than a little suspicious. Sure he knew a Halloween party wasn't Speed's thing and his enthusiasm was written all over his face but he was abandoning Pam too who didn't look that impressed but made no offer to go with him too. Eric wanted to query it but Speed just muttered excuses about being tired and fed up before hurrying off.

Eric decided that he would make a point of questioning Speed about it tomorrow. Though he knew it was a crazy idea, he was considering the very small but real possibility that Speed's departure was potentially connected to Ridley.

* * *

_Hmm this chapter was a little more Speed and Ridley heavy than intended but the scene has been playing out in my head for a while. I suppose it just builds the suspense over our killer, more of that soon I promise! Thanks for all the lovely reviews as usual, thanks Joni and Margie! Also, I did some fanart of this fanfic on my deviantArt, think there's a link to it somewhere on my main page..  
_

_As always thanks for the reviews!_


	9. Chapter 9- The Horrors of Romance

_Thanks as always for all the reviews :-) Britt- I'm really glad you like this fic and Ridley and Ruby. And yes, yay for Tim he lacks love! I only started watching CSI Miami a couple of months ago and the episodes I recorded happened to all be Tim ones hence the love, if they had been Ryan ones maybe he'd been in this fic. I've since bought the box set so hoping I'll like Ryan after the loss of Tim :-( I'm also a big EC fan. Joni thanks as always!_

* * *

Sore and uncomfortable, they were the first two things Timothy Speedle noticed he was when he opened his bloodshot eyes. He took a moment to take in the blue-grey light of dawn trying to sneak through his window and realised that he was in his very messy living room. He also noted that there was a feeling of something else and hoped quietly that his morning urge was not too obvious to the person curled up beside him. He glanced at the open Chinese takeaway boxes on his coffee table that were blending in with a mess of empty beer bottles and recalled a late night serving of noodles and beer whilst half-watching a cheesy horror movie. Even in his head it seemed like it was a lame date, in fact, as his morning urge reminded him, it wasn't much of a date at all given they seemed to have fallen asleep without doing anything except... 'Cuddling,' he thought in disgust, 'no that's not right, embracing... It all sounds stupid, passed out drunk is slightly better but what does that make this then? An evening with a friend? A friend I've already slept with...except she wasn't a friend then, rather a one night stand so what's this? Night two only without the stand?' He frowned at his own attempt at humour, deciding that he was off because of a growing hangover.

Ridley was lying beside him wearing his long sleeved, black shirt, she was on the outside of the couch, head awkwardly on the arm just like at the lab, and Tim's left arm wrapped about her loosely. He pushed himself up slightly, taking care not to disturb her too much but he failed and her eyes snapped open and she sat up immediately.

"Um hi," he said awkwardly as she looked about in confusion.

Ridley looked back at him calmly as she recalled where she was but her serene expression was ruined by the bruising on her right eye. "Hi," she retorted softly as she upright and away from him.

Speed frowned slightly before pushing himself upright, his gaze flickered towards her coin necklace and he wondered if it ever came off. "Did you have a good birthday?" he queried dryly.

She gave him a small smile and nodded quickly. It was the truth, alright so there were bad bits in the evening but they had been few and she was certain Ruby would forgive her for running off even though when Ridley had texted her to say she was leaving with a friend the reply had been 'not the cop Ridley! Come back for the sexy lawyer ;-) Cops are bad news!' Ridley had declined to reply to that.

She swept some of her dark hair over her shoulders and murmured, "I'm sorry I stayed over again."

"Are you really?" he quipped as her gave a serious stare with his bloodshot brown eyes.

"No," the word slipped out before she could help it and she blushed faintly. "I mean, well...it didn't happen right?"

"I don't think anything happened," he grumbled as he felt his urge beginning to grow. 'Damnit, she looks tired and beat up and hungover and yet still...I mean her top's open a little low, her legs are out and she looks cute in my shirt, does she know that?'

Ridley looked confused at his tone and cocked her head slightly before retorting in puzzlement, "did you want it to?" She wondered how he could not know that she had been desperate for something from him last night. She had come home with him hadn't she? Was that not a big sign? Instead of attempting anything he had offered her a beer to go with their late night noodle purchase and they had sat in an odd silence watching a slasher film like they were college roommates. It had depressed her a little and she had considered that he had mentioned being out with Eric and friends and wondered if one of those friends had been a woman, possibly a date that she had unwittingly distracted him from.

"Did you?" he retorted coolly. "I mean first time round you...well you came on to me, but last night nothing, I assumed maybe you had had a rough night or something."

"Or I thought if you liked me you would've done something about it," Ridley murmured, "because if I keep making the first move then it's just pity or sex for sex. That's fair enough," she added quickly as she saw his frown deepen, "I mean the first night I was just looking something and I thought you were cute but there was nothing else to it and we do work together so it wasn't a good idea and it's still not." She thought of Ruby's accusation that she had been looking for protection and the implication that anyone with a gun might have done, it was true but she would never admit it and it wasn't true now, she had gotten to know Speed and she liked him despite his sardonic outlook on life.

"I don't think I really get you," Speed murmured, "you roll in from New York trying to wrap up a case you started years ago so I kind of wrote you off as a sloppy pain in the ass trying to get us to fix your mess. Then you hit on me a nightclub and I didn't get that, I mean that could only be awkward but well...you were pretty forward about it and you're good looking and I was drunk so I went along with it and then realised that Horatio wouldn't be too impressed at me using you for sex so I let it go. Now, you're this crazy chick from Sleepy Hollow whose birthday is Halloween and normally that's the kind of woman I should avoid but I like it about you, you embrace it in an odd way and you just keep going, all this shit going on and you can still be sarcastic and smile. You hold back though, something's missing but hey we don't know each other that well and you're still new in town, so that's alright."

"Um...not sure if that was a compliment or not," Ridley retorted awkwardly.

"Me either," Speed admitted with a light shrug. "Can we agree that this morning never happened?"

She kept her expression calm and nodded before turning to search for her shoes.

"Good, then none of this will have ever happened." He moved forward then, one hand at her head turning it back to him before he kissed her. Quick, rough and warm, Ridley didn't respond for a second before she moved awkwardly, attempting to match his pace.

It all turned awkward a few minutes later when Speed reached for the last thing Ridley was wearing. He tensed and frowned when her hand snapped up to block his and cover the ever present and annoyingly jingly coin necklace. "It's distracting," he grumbled at her.

"It's important," she insisted as she looked back at him sternly.

He sat back slightly and quipped sarcastically, "for sex? It's not like it's going to get up and slink off somewhere."

"I don't take it off," she retorted flatly as she dropped her hand.

"You must have a ring of dirt under that thing," he scorned before letting out a heavy sigh. "Alright fine, keep it on but tell me one thing, who is it a promise to?"

"Justin," she confessed quietly, "I was his partner and I should have been there when the killer struck, and I should have stopped it but I wasn't and I didn't so I promised that I would at least bring the guy to justice. When I do that I might take the necklace off."

"Did he buy it for you?" Speed demanded with a flicker of annoyance in his brown eyes. "Your detective partner," he added pointedly.

Ridley's grey-brown gaze turned cold as she knew exactly what Speed was implying. "It doesn't matter who bought it for me."

"It matters a bit," he grumbled, "it's like you wearing a collar and it's a bit hard trying to sleep with someone when she's clearly someone else's pet."

Speed expected a little rebuke for his remark, perhaps some cursing or yelling but the punch to the nose was a little unexpected and for that reason he failed to block the blow. He leaned back as sparks danced before his eyes and his nose immediately burned as blood bloomed up his nostrils and he reeled back in pain. "What the fuck Ridley?" he roared angrily as he grabbed his nose with both hands and glowered at her over his hands.

The twenty-eight-year-old looked pissed but she was upset too, he could see the dampness glistening in her eyes and the way she struggled to suppress a tremble but he didn't care. "I am no one's pet or property!" she spat out viciously as a quiver escaped her and her fists shook as she clenched them both tightly.

"Whatever, you're bloody crazy that's certain," he snapped angrily as he lowered his hands and saw a spatter of blood on his right hand.

"I think I should go," she murmured frostily as she reached for her bra.

"No shit nutcase," he muttered moodily as he rubbed at his nose with his right hand.

Ridley didn't reply she just dressed as swiftly as possible and stormed out of the house. It was only when she was out in the warm autumn air that she realised her error, she didn't exactly know where she was. She emitted a curse, tugged out her phone and started walking, hoping to come across a street sign soon.

* * *

Horatio was looking through last night and today's reports whilst Calleigh was sat nearby sipping a coffee patiently and Eric was looking up urban legends once more partially out of boredom and partially as a way of avoiding glancing over at Calleigh. The beautiful blonde was wearing skinny jeans, black, ankle boots, a flattering V-neck, light, turquoise shirt and an open black blazer. She was stylish, sophisticated and so beautiful today and the young half-Cuban was finding it hard not to look. Even Natasha dressed in a suggestive and yet dazzling angel costume couldn't compare, her brown ringlets weren't Calleigh's long, blonde locks, her brown eyes weren't as soft and deep as Calleigh's blue irises, and her skin was an obvious bottle brown tan whilst Calleigh's was natural, deep and golden fair. Natasha was nice, sweet and talented in the bedroom but she wasn't enough to keep Calleigh from Eric's thoughts.

Eric glanced impatiently at the clock on the computer- 19:03- and snapped, "what are we waiting for?"

Horatio, after checking in with other CSIs and the police and hearing no news of unusual deaths, had unofficially allowed the team the day off. He had known Eric and Speed were out at a party and suspected Ridley had gone out too and therefore they might all be appreciative of a later start. He had decided at around four that a meeting was necessary however, not entirely convinced that their killer had skipped Halloween. Calleigh had appeared at half four and Eric just after five, both had been shocked to hear there was no evidence of their killer having struck and had spent the better part of two hours hunting through last night's cases to be sure they weren't connected to any urban legends.

"The rest of the team," Calleigh retorted with a bright smile, "Speed, who's not being too speedy today and Ridley who we should forgive for being late since it probably means she had a good birthday."

"Say Eric, weren't you with Speed last night?" Horatio queried curiously as his blue eyes flickered over to him.

"For a short while," Eric admitted, "but he got grumpy and left the party, too many happy people for him." He thought about Ridley but resisted the urge to talk about her being there, he didn't think it would be fair to mention how she had been drunk and a bit weird or that he was suspicious that Speed might have gone after her. "Anyway, what about last night H? Definitely no deaths?"

"Oh a few," Horatio replied calmly, "but nothing that suggests a madman with a specific manner of killing." He decided to reveal something else he had learned, something he had been trying to hold back for Ridley's arrival but given that didn't look to be soon he decided to tell Calleigh and Eric. "Good news, the DNA on the bear Ridley found at the Kinskey house came back as match to DNA found on Detective Silver's body. Bad news, no match to anyone in the system."

"So he's good and yet not that good?" Eric remarked in confusion.

"I believe he slipped up with Detective Silver because it was personal," Horatio said darkly, "and then he slipped up at the Kinskeys because he has gotten too cocky with his kills now and is getting sloppy."

"We can only hope," Calleigh murmured as the door swung open.

Speed glared back at the three as they all looked his way with what he knew to be the perfect cop face of disinterest meaning they were trying quite hard not to openly notice the red swelling on his nose or the dry bloodstains at his nostrils. He had sat at home with an ice pack on it for two hours in the hopes of banishing the swelling. He had hoped time had lessened it but the calm, deliberately blank faces made it obvious that the wound was still obvious.

"Afternoon Speed," Horatio greeted calmly as the younger man released the door to slam shut noisily.

"Hi," Speed retorted bluntly. "What's the news then? Poisoned candy? Hangings?"

"No," Horatio retorted coolly, "which makes me suspicious either we have missed something again or our killer has something else in mind."

"So much for ghost girl's theories about him being unable to resist Halloween," Eric mused with a small grin, "I guess it was too obvious."

"Or something else came up," Calleigh snapped defensively causing Eric to immediately look sombre, "some other opportunity he forced himself to wait for, who knows?"

"That's the point," Horatio said with a hint of irritation in his normally calm voice, "we don't know. All this time, all these deaths and we are still just guessing."

Horatio thought of the star necklace, Felicity Chase and Detective Silver. 'I'm just guessing with that too,' he thought in irritation. He was considering appealing for the notes on the Chase case but knew he would be denied, the case was fourteen years old, considered closed and he had caused enough problems with it at the time, no one was going to give him a chance to cause anymore problems with it. He thought about asking Ridley outright about it all but knew she would just calm up, deny everything, maybe even lie or simply avoid the truth and then know he had been prying into her life and Detective Silver's and avoid trusting him with anything. 'I want her to trust me,' he thought stubbornly, 'because she's got no one else and New Yorker or not she is here under my jurisdiction now, and I want her to realise that, and that she can be part of a team without being the scapegoat or the one to bully.'

Ten minutes later and the door opened again just as Horatio's phone rang. He snapped it open but didn't take in the words calling through it as his focus was entirely on Ridley and the prominent black eye she bore. She had been wearing sunglasses but inside the building was too dark and she had had no choice but to take them off to see.

"Ridley what happened?" Calleigh demanded as she stood up and hastened towards her, her blue eyes wide with concern.

"A silly accident," Ridley dismissed with a tired wave of her hand. "I was out last night at a crowded party and I just turned too quickly and banged into part of the furniture."

Speed could feel Eric's and worse, Horatio's, eyes burning into him. He knew Eric was probably wondering if he had found Ridley last night or not but what was Horatio thinking?

"Come again," Horatio repeated calmly, stunned at himself for being so distracted by the young woman. "A murder? That is interesting, we'll be right over, send through the address." He clapped his phone shut, stood upright and gave his team a flicker of a smile before querying, "who would like to go to a wedding?"

"The day after Halloween?" Eric retorted in disbelief. "Who gets married then?"

"Apparently a couple with a big interest in the holiday who couldn't secure a venue on the evening," Horatio replied calmly, "sadly this happy day has ended in a tragedy which I don't think is connected to witches or ghosts."

"What's happened?" Calleigh queried as her eyes flashed with interest.

"A murder, apparently someone felt the need to add some drama today," the redhead jested dryly. "From what I've gathered the victim is the bride's father."

"Well at least it's not a man pretending to be a dog or a dog choking on a finger," Eric joked with obvious relief on his face.

"Come again," Speed said stonily with a disapproving shake of his head.

"Humans can lick too," Ridley murmured softly, "and the case of the robber who left only a finger. On that note, were there any urban legend styled killings last night?" She looked to Horatio calmly for a response.

"Not a single one," Speed answered coldly, "seems your theory, like all your other theories, was wrong."

Horatio looked to his traces expert with a brief glance of curiosity before turning back to Ridley. "There were a few murders others are looking into but nothing which points at our killer," he admitted. "Calleigh had a theory that maybe he avoided an obvious window of opportunity because he decided to wait for something else."

Ridley looked puzzled as she considered that and shook her head briefly before letting out a soft sigh. "Every potential theory ends at a dead wall," she complained, "it's like he knows what we're thinking, guessing our predictions and avoiding them at the last moment."

"Your predictions," Speed accused.

Ridley met his glower with one of her own. "Fine, my predictions, my wrong guesses," she snapped wearily.

"Ours," Horatio corrected calmly, "you were right the first time Detective Moon. This is our case and whatever mistakes there are, are ours, remember that. You aren't alone down here, we work as a team, all of us," he added with another look at Speed who visibly frowned under the disapproving cerulean stare. "Detective Moon isn't here on work experience; she is a part of this investigation and this team. In fact," he turned back to Ridley with a ghost of a smile, "would you like to join us on this case?"

Ridley folded her arms and smiled back before answering, partly in an attempt to spite Speed, "take me to church Lieutenant Caine."

Calleigh gave a wide smile at Ridley's retort before commenting chirpily, "I do love weddings."

"Right, Calleigh, Ridley you can be my plus one and two," Horatio retorted calmly, "as a Lieutenant I feel two guests will be acceptable. Eric, Speed, you can be each other's dates, let's get there quickly, process the scene and interview the witnesses."

Calleigh let out a brief giggle. "Probably the best dates you pair could get for a wedding," she teased the men.

Speed was openly unimpressed whilst Eric couldn't help but smile if only because Calleigh's grin was so contagious. "He's the pity date," Eric joked as he jerked a thumb at Speed.

"We'll see who gets a bridesmaid Delko," Speed answered calmly before leading the way to the door.

When they headed downstairs, Calleigh took the front passenger seat because Horatio whilst Ridley took up the backseat and marvelled over the plush, leather seats. 'They must get a pretty good salary down in Miami,' she thought as she took a note of the air conditioner nozzles in the middle just behind the handbrake and the expensive looking rubber mats on the floor.

As Horatio pulled out of the car park Speed and Eric finally reached it with their equipment before pausing to play rock, paper, scissors as a means of ending their bickering over who was going to drive.

"Aren't you looking to get a bike?" Eric demanded.

"Yeah, so?" Speed retorted grumpily.

"So you obviously have a thing for wild driving if you want one of them and I like living in one piece."

"Just call it," Speed murmured as he shook his right fist up and down.

"Okay, go."

Eric played paper whilst Speed played rock. "Ha, I get to live safely for another day!" he exclaimed before turning towards his car.

"You hope," Speed replied cynically, "for all you know one of the bridesmaids is the killer and we know how gullible you are when it comes to bridesmaids."

"Hey you were the one bragging about getting one," Eric retorted as he clicked the button to open his car. He paused and looked at Speed over the roof of it. "Or was that just for Ridley's benefit?" He grinned, opened the door and got in without waiting for a reply.

Speed yanked open the back door, placed his belongs inside carelessly and slammed the door with deliberate force before opening the front door and climbing in.

"Easy on the car Speed," Eric said as he smiled at his friend, "it's not my fault you and her...well whatever you and her did, is she rough?"

"I don't know what you mean Delko," Speed retorted tiredly as he leaned back against the seat.

"Oh come on, I said she was outside at the party, you talked about going after her, next thing I know you were hurrying off with some lame excuse about being tired and then there's some hot looking Bo Beep woman chasing after you, by the way Pam noticed that too, and suddenly here we are and you and Ridley both show up today looking like someone beat you up. Did you do a number on each other? Is she into that?"

"No," Speed retorted heatedly, "and I didn't go off with her and I don't know why you think I did," he lied, "she's strange, why would I leave Pam for her?"

"See that's what I would like to know," Eric said happily as he turned on the engine and started to drive out of the car park, "because she is strange but then again you don't really have a type and be honest, you don't take Pam seriously or even think of her as your girlfriend so it's not that hard to imagine you leaving her for someone else."

"On the same night?" Speed shot back in irritation.

"Yeah man," Eric answered with a confident nod. He gave his friend a brief, firm stare. "When I mentioned she was outside on her own last night the first look on your face was concern, I was surprised by it but I know that's what I saw, concern in your eyes for Ridley."

"It was a cold, dark, wet night and we thought a serial killer might be on the loose," Speed replied dryly.

"Yeah I'll give you that Speed but are you really going to tell me you didn't go after her last night?"

"I didn't," Speed lied convincingly, "but I like that you think I did and then gave her a black eye, real nice Delko."

"Hey I didn't say you did it viciously, maybe it was just in the heat of passion, besides it looks like she got you back good for it."

"I never touched her," Speed snapped. This time it was the truth, asides from a few kisses and some fondling he hadn't really touched her, that had all ended rather abruptly thanks to that stupid coin necklace. Speed wasn't even sure why it had annoyed him so much or was continuing to do so. Worse, he was thinking that perhaps he had been a little cruel about the matter, whatever had happened between her and Detective Silver he knew two things for certain, she had been close with him and now he was dead, suggesting that she was a pet of his had been taking things too far. Her reaction to it however had been taking things too far as well, she had turned violent, and the frightened look in her eyes, that had been a little odd.

Speed was thinking back on it all now and thought of Eric saying that she had seemed to be running away last night but what from? She had denied falling out with Ruby or being injured by anything other than an inanimate object. She had been a little uneasy at his house though, like something had spooked her but she wouldn't admit to it and relaxed only after a couple of beers and the comfort of Tim's dark shirt about her.

"Well that's a shame because she might be weird but she is cute," Eric mused, "and after the way you treated Pam you're probably in for a dry spell. Better start making friends with Mr. Right or is it Mr. Left with you?"

"Ha, ha ha," Speed replied sardonically.

* * *

The wedding scene wasn't exactly what any of the CSIs had expected, suitably Halloween themed with orange and black flowers, skulls, and pumpkins on every table, glasses decorated with silver cobweb designs, place names on bat shaped cards, and chairs with white sheets over them and comical ghost faces on their backs. Better still was the six tiered cake at the centre of the tables in the room with what looked like blood drizzled down all its tiers and a zombie bride and groom on top of it.

"I never thought I'd say this," Eric commented as he walked up to Horatio and the others, "but someone just beat you on the weird Ridley."

"If I get married on my birthday do I get the crown for weirdness back?" Ridley replied innocently as she glanced about the large room curiously.

They were in a place called Blackthorn Manor, a large, four storey wooden building including an attic, it was a mixture of Gothic Revival and French Colonial, previously the project of a Winchester businessman's architectural obsessed wife, now it was rented out for parties and very popular around Halloween understandably.

"You can have the crown, the sceptre and the bouquet for that," Horatio answered in a deadpan manner.

The tables were all to the left on soft, dark purple carpet whilst the other half of the room had a smooth, grey marble floor for the ballroom with glittering black, silver and crystal chandeliers above it and mirrors for its wall. It might have been less creepy if not for the tall, iron candle stands which stood on iron plates for the wax to drip into and were placed at the edges of the marble floor, and the many masked guests, several of whom were now fixated on the CSIs.

"Everyone's in disguise, well this should be easy," Speed commented sarcastically.

"So where's the body?" Calleigh queried. "And who made the call?"

"I did," a sweating male answered as he hastened over to them. He glanced from one to the other trying to figure out who was in charge before thrusting his hand out to Calleigh. "I'm Kevin Owens, the host of Blackthorn Manor," he explained as a bemused Calleigh took his hand. "The body is outside in the fountain, one of the maids discovered it and told me, and then I phoned you."

"Alexx should be with it now," Horatio murmured. "What time was it discovered?"

Mr Owens withdrew his hand from Calleigh and blinked up at Horatio. "Around seven, I called you guys immediately after."

"Right," Horatio said firmly, "let's check out the body, then the witnesses. No one leaves this manor in the meantime. Speed, Eric this is a wedding so someone is bound to have been taking photos or filming or both I want all the footage there is."

"A masquerade," Calleigh mused, "what a perfect opportunity to sneak in unnoticed and kill someone."

"There's one more problem," Mr. Owens commented nervously.

"What could that be?" Horatio queried calmly.

"The bride is missing," Mr. Owens explained, "has been since the first dance, which was about twenty minutes before the body was discovered. She might not even know her father is dead."

"Or she was the first to know," Horatio responded darkly.

Ridley paused as a thoughtful look crossed her face. "A missing bride...a hiding bride..." Her eyes went wide and she snapped, "we've got to find her now!"

"Well yes," Speed answered sardonically, "given she is a suspect."

"No that's not it," Ridley retorted fiercely, "Bride and Seek, it's one of the urban legends! A bride plays hide and seek at her wedding but no one can find her, they think she's playing a trick and give up, a few days later they file a missing person's report and she's later found in a trunk in the attic having suffocated in it."

"Could be a coincidence," Eric argued carefully, "I mean in the legend there's no murdered in-law."

"Eric in this business we don't do coincidences," Horatio said sternly, "let's getting searching. Mr. Owens, take us to the attic."

It took a precious twenty minutes to reach the attic as the old-fashioned elevator only went to the third floor, to get from there to the attic they had to go through a locked door, pull down a wooden ladder and climb up it one by one. Horatio led the way up but allowed Ridley to snap the light on with her gloved hands.

The attic was full of boxes, crates, ornaments, decorations and pieces of furniture, there were Christmas and Halloween decorations, dusty, broken dolls, forgotten bears, battered chairs, numerous bags of clothes and several mannequins.

"No one would think to look up here," Eric observed.

Speed lifted his camera and took a few shots whilst the rest of them looked. It was a large room and tall enough for them all to comfortably stand with just a few naked bulbs to offer light, resulting in numerous areas lost to the shadows. Speed noted that whilst Calleigh and Eric spread out to look Ridley lingered near Horatio and searched round him. She brushed off a few cobwebs and recoiled from a dead mouse but it was obvious those things weren't bothering her. Spying a pile of rugs in the far right corner that might be concealing something, Ridley glanced up at Horatio who had paused to study a pile of furniture before she hastened over.

"Might have something here," Eric called from somewhere unseen to the left.

Horatio moved hastily to him and Ridley suddenly found herself alone. She turned and followed quickly, stumbling over a forgotten ball in her haste. She ignored Speed's mocking smirk as she passed him and they reached the large, wooden chest Eric had found under a pile of moth eaten clothes. There was a padlock on it which looked oddly new.

"I don't have a key for that," Mr. Owens confessed.

"We tamper with and we risk losing evidence," Eric murmured.

BANG! Ridley made the brash decision to shoot it off without warning. Calleigh and Mr. Owens jumped, Speed cursed and Eric looked at her accusingly. "Being saved from dying alone in a box is worth tampering with the evidence," Ridley commented forebodingly as the lock swung free.

It was Horatio who leaned down, tugged off the lock and pushed open the box. He recoiled slightly unable to quite conceal his horror.

There was a woman in the box, her large, crimson, taffeta dress crushed against her making it a poignant sight. Her skin was grey, her eyes shut and bruised looking and her lips slightly parted with a hint of blood at them.

Ridley shook her head angrily at the Ace of Spades resting in the silver tiara on her forehead.

"'Til death do us part," the redhead commented grimly.

_So Calleigh and our killer have both returned! As always I hope everyone is still enjoying this fic and that I'm still doing the CSI Miami gang justice! I also hope you like Tim/Ridley because I love writing that. I also do enjoy writing Eric/Calleigh which has a lot more fans that I thought :-o Equally sorry for the lack of Alexx, Yelina and Frank it's not personal I just think there'd be too many characters in the fic then. The lack of Ryan and Natalia is because I haven't watched enough episodes to get a feel for their characters but I have high hopes for Ryan!_

_Originally I imagined this as being set before the start of the show when Megan was still on leave (because I kind of don't like her, she was so bland and angry, but I liked her and Tim's dialogue a bit) and Tim was very much alive but since there was a lot of love for EC which didn't happen until later in the show I guess this is an alternate universe fic almost._

_Anyway I appreciate all the reviews and opinions! Please let me know what you think of everything! I also appreciate the questions, Q&amp;As are fun :-) but no spoilers obviously! ;-)_


	10. Chapter 10- 'Til Death Do Us Part

It was after midnight, and Horatio was trying to construct a re-enactment of the last hour of the bride and her father's lives. They had looked through numerous photographs and video clips before they had started to send things back for processing. The groom, his mother and his mother-in-law had all been taken to the hospital for shock and several witnesses were now semi-conscious thanks to exhaustion and/or drink. Everyone wanted to leave but Horatio and Ridley were both afraid of letting their killer or killers as it appeared to be slip through the net though it was very likely that one or both had already done that.

Alexx was away back to the lab with the bodies, confirming only that the father, one Mr. McDowell, had died from a head injury before his body had been dumped or had fallen in the knee deep bottom tier of the old fountain. The house lacked security cameras unfortunately, there was one by the main desk and in the main office where the money was kept in a safe but that was it, Blackthorn Manor wasn't a hotel after all despite its size though guests could and did stay for a 'haunted house' sleepover experience. The young Silver couple had intended to stay over and detectives were going through their possessions right now.

Silver, the name wasn't lost on Ridley and when it had been told to her she had looked like she had seen a ghost. The late barely Mrs. Silver had been removed from the chest and a blank 'Happy Birthday' card had been found inside it beneath her. Ridley had turned cold at the sight and almost gone into shock. Calleigh had intervened swiftly and led Ridley away from the box and the card and dismissed it as spook tactic before attempting to turn her attention to the late Mr. McDowell instead.

Horatio was pondering the possibility that either their killer had skipped Halloween because he had gotten Ridley's birthday wrong or, much more likely, he had feared his kill might go amiss with all the other drama of Halloween and so had decided to wait a day to make sure his present was delivered. The redhead kept his thoughts to himself however and persuaded Ridley to talk to the witnesses.

Now here they were, slowly gathering the early evening's dramatic events together. Horatio stepped onto the cold, marble floor and turned to the small group of investigators before him. The guests had been moved to the large bar room next door, Horatio loathed that it had a bar but it was the biggest room to contain everyone in the place sadly. Of the guests some were amused, some tipsy, some outright drunk, some angry, some tired, some irritated and some promiscuous as several guests had informed him. The tangled web of interrelations of the evenings had been hard to untangle but Horatio thought he might have managed it.

"Right," he addressed his group, "we have analysed what we can and taken what statements we can, so far I'm going with the statements and footage that matches up. When we go back and study it more thoroughly we might get a better picture but we can't keep all our guests confined that long, the DA has already been in contact over that. No proof of guilt, no reason to hold them."

"Human rights H," Eric comments brightly. His tiredness was starting to show in his eyes but he kept up a merry appearance despite it as it was a long evening with Calleigh at least.

"Indeed," Horatio retorted dryly with a small nod. "Right, let's start going through the events. Calleigh you've always been keen on marriage so why don't you play our not so blushing bride."

Calleigh beamed from ear to ear as she stepped forward.

"Eric be a gentleman and play Calleigh's unfortunate groom," Horatio ordered as he rested his hands on his hips and continued to stare at his team.

Eric bowed his head swiftly to avoid his blush being obvious as Speed let out a taunting snort of amusement. Calleigh was oblivious to it as she headed to the dance floor.

"Everyone saw the first dance, so we know Mrs. Silver was still alive then but there were no plans for a dance with her father so his time of death is a little more unclear," Horatio observed. "Video footage on one Mr. Martez's phone depicts Mr. McDowell at the table looking a little rowdy during the dance, but we only have a couple of seconds of footage putting him there. Mr. Owens said the body was found about twenty minutes after so it's a tight window."

Horatio moved to the main table, pulled out the chair two down from the bride's that Mr. McDowell had occupied and slipped into it. "I'll play daddy dearest, fondly described by the bridesmaids as a 'pervert, creep, lecher and asshole' respectively, which gives us plenty of motive and suspects. Now then," his sharp blue eyes flickered to Speed, "Speed you can be our joker, married best man Daniel Groves, ready to intrude on the dance floor early with head bridesmaid, recently divorced and most definitely having an affair with Daniel, Rachel Dean." He looked to Ridley. "Ridley, do us the honour of playing Rachel."

Speed's eyes flashed with annoyance as he shuffled reluctantly to the edge dance floor whilst Ridley gracefully kept her cool as she strode up to him and held out one hand. The shock was still plain on her face and she was obeying Horatio's orders almost robotically, not really giving the matter any thought. All Ridley was fixated on was a blank birthday card left with a corpse.

"Closer guys," Eric teased from where he stood, now jovially hand in hand with Calleigh. "Danny you had your hand visibly on Rachel's ass."

"Oh come on," Speed complained.

"Got to be as accurate as possible," Eric retorted scornfully, followed by a teasing tut.

"Right, since our DJ is with the rest of the witnesses try to use your imagination please," Horatio urged. "Eric lead your new wife to the middle of the dance floor."

Eric forced his face to appear calm, afraid that revealing any other kind of emotion might give his feelings away. He gripped Calleigh's hands tighter than necessary as he tugged her to the dance floor, focusing hard on his footing as he did.

Calleigh started humming with a smile in an attempt to create some sort of rhythm for their awkward dancing. She assumed Eric was acting nervously because he wasn't a good dancer and was a little too tired to attempt pretending at being a groom.

"Right," Horatio continued, "a few seconds in and I'm sharing a few choice words with my wife, or that's what it appears. That's the problem with a party where everyone is in costume, and then we have some people wearing masks you can't even see."

Ridley shuddered at Horatio's last words as images of numerous masks flickered through her head, so many unidentified faces, so many suspects and one of them a being she had been hunting for months, looking there through cut out eyes, taunting them all. Devil masks, skulls, animals, Venetian styled, cheap sequins, suggestive lace and more, so many, many masks.

"In you come Daniel," Horatio instructed, "pulling Rachel with you in some rather attention seeking form of a tango."

Speed mumbled a curse under his breath before sticking his right arm and Ridley's left out straight and dragging her onto the dance floor. There was no attempt to dance like Calleigh and Eric were, Calleigh in a cute fashion, instead the pair walked, Speed almost stomping.

"What happens next?" Horatio queried his team.

"The other bridesmaids were on camera," Calleigh spoke up, "at the edge of the dance floor watching, Claire, Beth and Anna, Claire was laughing, Beth looked horrified and quickly left, and Anna started speaking to one of the groomsmen."

"Right, suspect number one, Beth," Horatio announced, "she left the scene and so far there is no evidence of her returning, she claims she went to get fresh air but she has no alibi, of course Mr. McDowell was found outside so it could still be true."

"Danny steps on Mrs. Silver's dress," Eric commented brightly as he smirked at Speed, "clumsy Danny."

"Right," Speed grumbled as he refrained from re-enacting accidentally stepping on a dress.

"I glare at him," Eric continued with a taunting glare.

"I try to lead us away," Ridley continued as she started tugging on Speed's hand.

"I get close and say something to Rachel," Calleigh said as she leaned into Ridley and whispered, "this is fun."

"I pull back," Ridley continued as she gave Calleigh a bemused glance.

"Danny turns Rachel dramatically," Horatio called out as if directing a scene in a play, "to make it all about him and then they leave the scene as everyone starts laughing and clapping. Drama avoided but Mr and Mrs. Silver, not that impressed."

Speed didn't bother with a turn and made to pull Ridley off the floor but she froze prompting him to glower at her impatiently. "Not quite," Ridley argued, "Danny turns with his back to everyone, he spins Rachel," she forced Speed's arm up and imitated a small turn under it, "and they swing behind the bride and groom, or it appeared that way."

"Meaning?" Calleigh quipped curiously.

"You guys turned too," Ridley explained, refusing to use the Silver name, "and in all that movement it looks like Danny and Rachel bowed out together but we didn't." She looked at Eric and Calleigh with a serious expression. "Right, you guys do a turn and move forward, we'll do a turn and try to move back."

They obeyed, though it was a clumsy attempt that resulted in some giggles from Calleigh and a happy smile from Eric. "Look," Ridley announced when they were done, "we've separated." As they were behind Calleigh and Eric now it wasn't obvious, so she raised her now free hands and waved them briefly before lowering them again. "We had to, with the dress and everything there was no easy way to do it, we broke apart." She found herself meeting Tim's gaze at those words and felt a little pang of regret.

"We broke apart," he repeated coldly.

"We need to watch those tapes again," Ridley insisted, "but I didn't notice Danny and Rachel linking arms again, I think the bride said something to Rachel and she just wanted to get off that dance floor."

"Correct," Horatio announced calmly, "drama on the dance floor, probably enough for no one to really know when Mr. McDowell left the table, his own wife isn't even sure and she was beside him taking his abuse. One guest, Mr. Burke, says Mr. McDowell stumbled into Anna and got up close." Horatio stood up and moved in the direction of the door. "There's a photograph and even though it's blurred, you can see a bridesmaid, I'm thinking Anna, and someone invading her space who could be Mr. McDowell, all right around here. Another photograph shows a groomsman nearby, I suspect Mark, the same one Anna was talking to at the dance floor."

"But all the groomsmen were wearing the same suits and masks, and the bridesmaids were wearing the same dresses and masks," Eric remarked wearily.

"The perfect way to blend in," Horatio mused.

"There was a photograph of Danny and Rachel in the corner," Calleigh pointed out, gesturing to a spot at the back of the tables, "they were getting awfully close in it too."

"That's their alibi," Ridley murmured, "they were embarrassed about it but confessed it happened after the first dance. Rachel claims it's not what it looks like of course."

"Of course," Speed grumbled before sighing, looking to Ridley and quipping, "shall we?" He gestured to the corner with one hand.

"I want to see that photograph again," Ridley commented seriously as she let Speed begin to lead her to the corner.

"Here," Horatio said as he gestured to the small collection of cameras on the table in front of him. He knew he had to send up with the rest of the evidence but right now they were all he had to reconstruct the night's events, people's drunken recollections, exaggerations and outright lies weren't really reliable enough. He snapped a red one up, scanned through it and then zoomed in on the photograph. "Ladies and gentlemen Rachel has dirt marks on her shoes and I don't think she was doing a dirty dance."

"The photo was after the dance like they said, there's not a speck of dirt on the floor," Ridley murmured almost excitedly, "but how soon after?"

Horatio nodded. "Exactly. Suspect one- Beth, she left during the dance and says she was outside, without an alibi but she claims she didn't notice Mr. McDowell or anything strange and came back after ten minutes. Suspects two and three- Anna and Mark, rumours said Mr. McDowell harassed all the bridesmaids but Anna most, she's seen talking to Mark about something when she should be watching her friend dance, then she tries to leave the room and is stopped by Mr. McDowell. Suspect four- Rachel, she claims she left the dance floor with Danny towards the end of the first dance and got close with him in the corner, though she is in denial about how close but we know she was lying. She didn't leave the dance floor with Danny and if she is lying about that she is probably lying about other things too. Also, the dirt on her shoes indicates that after the dance she left the dance floor, went outside and then came back to Danny."

"Seems a weak motive, killing a guy because he's sleazy," Calleigh murmured in disapproval.

"If it was deliberate," Ridley argued, "It could have been accidental and I have heard of weaker motives."

"Me too," the blonde mused, "but still, sad to ruin your friend's wedding night over something like that."

"What about her friend?" Eric demanded in frustration. "How were there two killers here?"

"According to witnesses the late Mrs. Silver left the dance floor hand in hand with her husband," Horatio answered coolly, "some people say she was talking with her bridesmaids, but only Claire could have been near, others say she had a drink, and some say she was talking with relations. All we can gather from that is that she stayed briefly to mingle. There are a few photos showing her about this room but it's hard to put them in time order. A few witnesses claim she left this room alone, some think to look for dad, others to find a bridesmaid and others say she was simply drunk and mingling, and state many of her guests were in the lobby and outside. Interestingly no one claims a bridesmaid went with her, odd given they were surely duty bound for the evening but we know Beth, and most likely Rachel were absent at this point, leaving Claire and Anna."

Calleigh broke from Eric and moved towards the doors briskly, missing Eric's glance of dismay. She paused and grinned back at the small group. "So I leave on my own," she said perkily, "out to a crowd of masked guests who might as well be strangers because I can't possibly know or tell who they all are and no one even really notices or comes with me. Good job this isn't the scene of a horror movie," she added brightly.

"Oh don't worry," Ridley called in a surprising moment of dry humour, "if it were you would be safe, it's the brunette chick who gets the goriest death, the plucky, good looking blonde always gets to live."

"Well hurray for blondes," Calleigh enthused with a wide smile.

"Um what about us?" Eric demanded with an unimpressed look at Ridley.

"Playing it straight, let's see," she glanced at Speed icily, "the average white male, gone at the start, the sidekick," she glanced at Eric apologetically, "no offence with that, gone twenty minutes in, usually in gorier fashion and the experienced, older male, meant to be representing some form of authority and thus salvation to the hapless victims," she paused and looked to Horatio calmly, "well he usually gets it in the back."

"How true to life," Horatio retorted sardonically as he gave her a small smile that quickly vanished, "stabbed in the back, and isn't it usually by someone he knows?"

"In the films yeah," Ridley murmured quietly, "but reality isn't so simple, is it Lieutenant Caine?"

Horatio placed his hands in his pockets and shook his head.

"Average white male and sidekick," Eric repeated sarcastically as he folded his arms and shook his head, "I don't know which of us should be most offended."

"Well if it helps," Ridley retorted with a feigned calmness as she envisioned the birthday card, "I'll still get the worst death, bloody and slow towards the end."

Her expression chilled Eric and unnerved Speed a little; it was almost as if she was starting to expect a gruesome fate for herself.

"Let's try to avoid the clichés Ridley," Horatio said calmly before he turned to Calleigh. "Calleigh, I want you to go and interview the bridesmaids one last time, find out more about where Beth went to and where she was when daddy dearest was found, ask Rachel the truth about being outside, and ask Claire and Anna why neither of them bothered to accompany our not so blushing bride out of the room.

Eric," he turned his sharp, blue gaze on the half-Cuban, "we need a better idea of who was seen near the bride in her last hours, if someone can even recall a distinctive mask, it's a start. Ridley, back to the attic, I need you to time it from here, how long could it have taken Mrs. Silver to get up there? She must have taken part of the journey willingly or someone would have noticed. If we can work out a rough time length for the journey then we can narrow down her time of death, and where the killer must have been and when. We can also rule out her being with dad, it's unlikely she would have had time to go after him and then end up dead in the attic before dad's body was found."

Ridley paled just a little at the thought of going up to the attic on her own, travelling through the hotel alone given its creepy decorations was bad enough but up there to where the poor bride had died, where the murderer had been and had so many places to hide... She forced herself to nod, glanced at her watch and started to move.

"Speed, we need to go through these photos again," Horatio ordered, oblivious to Ridley's fear. The redhead glanced over at the dark haired male when he didn't get a response and saw his brown gaze on Ridley's retreating form. "Speed, ASAP," he commanded.

Speed turned to his superior with a fixed look of disinterest as he nodded and moved towards the cameras.

* * *

01:20 am, the guests were gone, the last of the evidence was away and Horatio and Speed had reached the bottom of the steps leading up to the attic whilst Calleigh and Eric were sealing up Rachel and Beth's shoes along with Danny's jacket, which had some spattering on the back that he claimed was food but Calleigh suspected might be blood.

Horatio looked up at the dark square above before reaching out to the rungs, gripping them tight in his left hand and pulling. Forty minutes, Speed had informed him in his usual dry and unconcerned manner that Ridley had been gone for forty minutes, a little too long even for a bride in a heavy taffeta dress he thought.

"Detective Moon," Horatio called calmly as he continued to climb, "Detective Moon are you still up here?" He paused as he reached the top, all the lights were out but he thought he could hear a noise, distant and muffled. He tugged out his phone using it to give a brief illumination; he found the chord for the light bulbs and tugged, nothing as expected. "Ridley," he called again as he turned the phone outwards to guide his path.

Breathing with something else, possibly a sob, to the left. He turned in that direction and walked, thinking several swears when he stumbled over several abandoned toys. At last his phone outlined her form, on the ground, head in her knees, and arms about her knees defensively, under a table like a scared child, a rather spooky apparition up here.

"Ridley what's wrong?" Horatio pried calmly. It was hard to muster concern into his voice, it was not that he did not feel it; rather he was fearful of her feeling demeaned by it.

"He was here," she murmured, "he sent me a card; he knows it was my birthday. I'm going to be next," she choked out, "he will finish me before I can get him for Justin." She swallowed hard. "Locked in a box, trapped, suffocating, I can't be that way, bound in the dark, trapped, can't move, I can't move!" Her eyes went wide as she yelled but she barely flinched.

He dropped before her in a crouch, and looked at her curiously before reaching out a hand and resting it on her left shoulder lightly. "Ridley I won't let that happen."

She looked up at him with such a viciousness the redhead was noticeably shocked. "You did let it happen!" she accused. She fell silent just as quick, her eyes widened slightly as if she had surprised herself before she added hastily, "we all did and do let it happen. Case fourteen," she said hoarsely, "this is fourteen. I've let so many people down, I keep going over it and over it but I can't get any further, everything I suspect is wrong, everything I guess is wrong."

"Ridley come on, let's go downstairs," Horatio suggested, using the calm and persuasive tone he usually reserved for children. "This case could be the one, he wasn't expecting another killer to be at the wedding, it would have made him sloppy."

"The lights blew," she confessed as if she hadn't heard him, "and for a brief moment I thought this would be it, just like a horror movie but I was alone. Silver, Mrs. Silver, and a happy birthday card, did he pick her for me? Did he kill her for me?" she demanded.

"If not her it would have been another," Horatio answered, his voice still irritatingly calm, "and if not tonight then last night. Ridley, don't let him in your head."

"Case nine, Justine and her brother Riley, Justin said the same thing, 'don't let him in your head', Justin was case ten."

Horatio reached down, gripped her arm and attempted to pull her up. "Let's go back downstairs Detective Moon."

She rose stiffly, shrugged off his grasp and allowed him to lead the way back to the ladder and down to Speed who had caught bits and pieces of their conversation and was now pretending to be fixated on his camera.

They headed downstairs and out to Horatio's car, as Calleigh and Eric had left in Eric's. Horatio drove them back to headquarters. Once there Ridley escaped out of the car and headed to her own without a word. Horatio watched after her with a burning curiosity. Her words had struck a chord with him, 'you did let that happen', that had been personal.

"It's time to go home," he addressed Speed quietly, "and call it a night. Tomorrow we will go through it all again and see what the evidence and Alexx suggests."

Speed nodded wearily. "Night H."

"Night, and put some ice on your nose," the redhead advised calmly. "By the way, how did it happen?"

"Someone overreacted last night," Speed grumbled.

"Oh? Eric said you left early; he never mentioned it was because of a fight."

"It happened on the way out," Speed lied.

"I see, well take care of it."

Speed looked back at his superior uneasily, certain that somehow, he didn't know how, Horatio knew he was lying. He simply nodded and headed on his way. He paused at his own car and found his gaze searching across the dark and mostly empty car park for Ridley's banged up Mustang. It was there, three rows back and five spaces to the right, dark and still. He stared at it coolly as he heard Horatio's engine start up again and then the gentle purr as he eased it out of the car park. His hand tugged out his car keys from his pocket but he kept staring at the Mustang as he wondered if Ridley was going to spend another night avoiding sleep. She had looked completely freaked out and he wondered if it was just the birthday card or a multitude of things. Deciding angrily that she just had issues he unlocked his car.

* * *

"Good morning Miss Thibodeaux, is Ridley here?"

Ruby frowned at Horatio's small smile before shaking her head, leaning against the doorframe and folding her arms. "No," she answered bluntly.

"Do you know where she might be?" the redhead pried. He could see that Ruby was uneasy, concern filled her emerald eyes and her stance, whilst defensive, seemed a little less aggressive than usual.

"No," Ruby repeated. "She..." She paused, wary of saying anything to the redhead.

Horatio tugged down his sunglasses slightly with one hand so that Ruby could see his blue irises. "Ruby is something wrong?" he queried gently.

"She didn't come home last night," Ruby confessed, "in fact I haven't seen her since yesterday." She moved her right hand up to sweep it through her short hair when Horatio's hand snapped out to grasp the wrist tightly. "Ouch, what the hell?" she snapped.

Horatio tugged the wrist out and frowned down at the pewter coin bracelet on this wrist. "Well this looks familiar," he murmured.

Ruby's cheeks flushed as she had the grace to look embarrassed as she glowered up at the lieutenant. "Got a thing for jewellery?" she quipped sarcastically as she pulled her wrist back.

"Only when I think it might help a case," Horatio murmured. "Does Ridley know that Detective Silver bought you a bracelet to match her necklace?"

"It's not a match," Ruby snapped defensively as she rubbed her wrist, "and how do you know Justin bought it?"

Horatio's smile vanished as he shook his head chidingly. "Miss Thibodeaux for Ridley's sake be honest with me, why did Justin buy you that?"

Ruby scowled up at the redhead before snapping, "what has that to do with Ridley or you? You're a nosy prick you know that, and Ridley warned me not to talk to you."

Horatio sighed. "Miss Thibodeaux it's eleven in the morning, Ridley had a scare last night and I am growing concerned for her and I know you must be too. This case puts her in a lot of danger and it was fatal for Detective Silver now I feel there could be a clue when it comes to Detective Silver, something he knew or something in the way he was killed but it's too personal for Ridley and she's holding back something about it all."

"Ridley..." Ruby paused and sighed angrily. "Look poser cop I love Ridley, I'm probably the closest friend she has and she trusts me but...but things are bad, I see that and if this could help... Well you have to promise me," she said sternly as she wagged a finger at him, "that she won't know you learned anything from me and that you won't say anything to her that you don't have to. I mean this bracelet and her necklace, I don't see how that could be relevant to a psychotic serial killer but you're the cop here not me."

"I promise," Horatio said solemnly, "that I won't betray your confidence."

"Alright," Ruby relaxed her stance slightly and glanced past him to the stairs, "but you're not getting in here, Ridley would be super pissed about that. The fact is Justin did buy me the bracelet, it was a couple of months before his death, I...I'd slept with him, a stupid, drunken mistake, and it was like he was trying to reward me for it, disgusting shit. I was going to chuck the bracelet right back in his face but then I thought I'd show it to Ridley and prove to her that he was kind of an ass, but the time was never right and then...well then he got killed." She paused and bowed her head slightly. "Man, I sound mean about him but it's not how it was, I cared about him too you know I just didn't like the way he took advantage of Ridley."

"Took advantage?" Horatio echoed curiously.

Ruby nodded. "Yeah, Justin was married but he was a real player, Ridley and I aren't the only women with his ironic coin jewellery gifts, but Ridley doesn't know that. She used to rebuke his advances and laugh it off, but then...I don't know poser cop," Ruby shrugged awkwardly, "something happened. It was over a year ago, it was like a weight had been lifted off Ridley, I don't know like she'd had this fear we didn't know about until it was gone and then she was wearing that gold coin necklace. She said it was to replace her old one but I didn't believe that, Justin got Ridley infatuated with him and I don't know how or why but she wouldn't hear anything bad about him."

"Her old necklace?" Horatio questioned sharply.

"Yeah, some gold star thing, I barely remember it, she wore it incessantly too but it must have broken or something. Look, I wanted to tell her about Justin and how that coin necklace means shit to him, if anything it's an insult, it's like he was marking you as paid for but like, how can I tell her now?" She swept a hand through her hair with a frown. "She was in love with him and now he's dead and she blames herself, I can't ruin her memories of him even if they are wrong, it's all she has and she's messed up as it is without me adding that to it."

Horatio nodded. "Thank you Miss Thibodeaux. One final question, any ideas where Ridley might be?"

"I dunno, the beach?" Ruby shrugged again. "I have no idea; she hasn't bothered answering her mobile. Was she at your crime lab last night? Are you sure she left?"

"Hmm, good point." Horatio flashed a faint smile at her. "Thanks again and have a good day."

"You too."

Horatio turned and headed back to his car, his head full of more questions than answers. So Justin Silver wasn't as saintly as Ridley made out or thought and her coin necklace that she clung to as a reminder of her had meant very little to him. A replacement for another necklace, a gift that appeared when Ridley had suddenly stopped resisted the married detective's advances and acted like it was a weight off her shoulders rather than on... 'Over a year ago,' Horatio mused, 'around the time that Detective Silver killed Mr. Hawkes... There's a link,' he thought determinedly, 'but to the current case, probably not. Nonetheless, there is a reason that Detective Silver killed Mr. Hawkes and that Ridley wore Miss Chase's treasured necklace.'

When he finally reached the CSI headquarters he was unsurprised to see Ridley's battered car where she had parked it last night. Upon entering the headquarters he remained unsurprised to have Calleigh inform him that Ridley was there and looked like she had been all night given she was wearing last night's clothes. What did intrigue him was hearing that Ridley was confident she had a photograph of Mrs. Silver's killer. In disguise of course, his face fully masked, but it was still the best clue they had so far.

* * *

_So the wedding re-enactment was inspired by 2 CSI episodes, one with a wedding and one with a murder on a plane. Britt, I write Calleigh as being totally unaware of Eric's feelings for her and thus being unaware of her own feelings for him but I'll try and work on Calleigh's side of things :-) Margie, yes the suspense is long but I don't want to rush the fic although hopefully with this case they'll have more evidence ;-).  
As always guys thanks for the lovely reviews and keep them coming!_


	11. Chapter 11- Lingering Souls

Ridley sucked in a deep breath before stepping up to the naked corpses of Mr McDowell and Mrs Silver.

"Talk to us Alexx," Horatio requested calmly as he looked down at the bodies bleakly.

They had spent the early afternoon pouring over Ridley's evidence of the killer, they had calculated that he was six feet two and had been photographed near Mrs Silver at the bottom of the stairs in the lobby as well as appearing in the background of a couple of shots. His costume consisted of a full face, ovular, white, skull mask, a hooded, black cloak, skeleton hand mimicking gloves and a plastic scythe prop, which was almost the same height as him but disappeared out of a couple of shots. Ridley had wanted to dismiss him as the suspect, he was dressed as the Grim Reaper making it seem a tad too obvious but judging from the timeline of the photographs and video footage he was quite possibly the last person seen with her, witnesses also supported this, the same witnesses who had found his costume either 'spooky', 'awesome' or 'inappropriate', 'unoriginal' and 'God awful' and could not identify him. A man of few words, one young woman claimed to have conversed with him briefly finding him evasive, deep voiced with a faint accent that she claimed sound a bit like Ridley's, and supposedly large, violet-blue eyes.

Ridley had obsessed over the photos before Horatio had insisted on checking up on the bodies.

"Mr McDowell suffered several blows to head, first one's free as they say and in this case, the second killed and the third was a bonus." The medical examiner gestured to the body, which was on its side, pointing to the bruising and dried blood on the back of the skull. "Quick, hard and lethal," she said calmly. "Poor man, you never saw it coming did you?"

"Weapon?" Horatio quipped.

"Blunt, round, roughly two inches in width, note the circular bruising, not a bat though, look here, they are not smooth blows, the skin was torn by a slightly uneven edge."

"Time of death?"

"Well the water didn't help but I would think your time frame is accurate, he died almost instantly from the second blow, he suffered serious haemorrhaging, time of death was approximately six thirty, give or take, last night but as I said, the water delayed rigor mortis."

"He died near the fountain," Ridley said coldly, "there was blood just two feet from the scene. DNA confirms it's Mr. McDowell's but it's going to be hard narrowing down who else was there, the ground was soft and there were several footprints, and most people admit to having been near the fountain at some point."

"Busy night," Alexx mused to the body, "and you the father of the bride, how could someone miss you out there?"

"Not everyone has water stains on their clothes however," Horatio murmured candidly, "with a slight murky tinge to it that will match up to the algae present in the water."

"What about the bride?" Ridley queried as she forced herself to stare down at the body with her bloodshot eyes. Pale, brunette turned redhead, small and skinny, she had seemed more imposing with the taffeta dress but now she was just scrawny.

"Poor darling," Alexx sympathised as she looked down at the body pityingly, "it should have been the happiest day of your life."

"Why do you do that?" Ridley asked suddenly as she looked up at the dark skinned woman.

"Do what?" Alexx queried calmly as she stared back at the New Yorker.

"Talk to them like they're still here."

"People say a soul takes three days to move on," Alexx retorted, "that and why should they become shells just because they're dead? Don't you think it's worse to treat them as objects?"

Ridley suppressed a shudder as she folded her arms and turned away from the medical examiner and the bodies suddenly. "Fuck don't let me end up here," she muttered as her eyes flickered to the doors with a hint of desperation.

"Detective Moon would you like to sit this one out?" Horatio queried calmly without a hint of emotion to his voice or suggestion of it in his blue stare.

Ridley met his stare with a flicker of fear in her own reddened gaze. Horatio frowned slightly as he noticed just how badly bloodshot they were. Calleigh had scorned him for not forcing the young woman home into her bed but Horatio had suspected quite rightly that if he forced Ridley out of the lab she wouldn't go to Ruby's.

"If..." She paused and then gestured her right hand down firmly as she continued to speak. "If it happens to me don't let me end up here, I'm begging you, I don't care what you do, do but not here being spoken to like I can hear it. I mean shit they can't still hear, they're dead, they're gone damnit!"

"Ridley." Horatio took a step towards her but she flinched back sharply and raised her hand quickly. He paused and gave her an odd look; her reaction was almost instinctive just like in the attic. "Ridley you're not going to end up here," he assured.

"No," she shook her head wildly, "don't do that; don't act like he's not hunting me. Justin did that, always calm, always fearless until the end and it got him killed! Look, no one's going to come chasing me from New York if he gets me, no family, no friends so you have to do it, you have to make sure I'm not here. Please, promise me."

Alexx watched the woman silently as she wondered why she was almost hysterical. 'Poor woman's exhausted,' she thought sympathetically. 'It's more than that though, no family or friends, so she's alone in all this then, what a burden to bear.'

"Alright," Horatio answered quietly, "I promise. You know, why don't you go and get a coffee and we can go over the video footage after I wrap up with Alexx here?"

Even though Horatio made it sound like a request Ridley knew it was a command. Knowing that she was getting out of control and liable to be ordered home or worse, off the case temporarily, she nodded. She then glanced past Horatio to Alexx with a look of apology but when she went to voice her feelings no words came out. Instead her eyes glimpsed Mr McDowell only it wasn't him lying there; it was another, younger, toned, blonde and more familiar, a body she had seen only in photographs. She turned and fled up the stairs.

"You know you're too hard on her," Alexx chided to Horatio's back.

The redhead gave a small, tight smile as he shook his head at Ridley's retreating form, now behind the glass doors and turning around the corridor. "How?" he quipped calmly as he glanced over his shoulder at Alexx at last.

"The girl just had her birthday, with strangers," Alexx reminded him, "in a foreign place, her first birthday without this Justin character who she was obviously close with." Alexx frowned slightly. "He was her partner, maybe more judging by the way her eyes fill up when she mentions him."

"Definitely more," Horatio confirmed, "but I'm not sure why or for how long."

"It's hardly something she would share," Alexx retorted softly. "Fifteen of these cases, and her name is attached to every one of them as the girl to blame, it's a lot for one person to bear."

"I know Alexx and it's not a burden I want her to bear," Horatio retorted, his voice still professionally calm though there was a defensive glint in his blue stare. "New York scapegoated her, Miami won't but Ridley makes it difficult, she has secrets."

"Everyone has secrets Horatio."

"Yes." Horatio gave the medical examiner a faint smile. "So what are the late Mrs Silver's? What did she die of?"

"Suffocation," Alexx answered bluntly, "but not in the box. It was quicker than that, someone smothered her. The evidence suggests a minor struggle but it was brief, five minutes and this bride became an angel."

"And, dare I ask, did our killer leave any trace of himself?"

"No prints," Alexx confessed, "on either victim but trace, yes. Mrs Silver got some DNA under her nails, better still she got some hair, I doubt you will find a match to anyone on the system if it's the same man who left his DNA with Detective Silver and the Kinskeys but the hair helps, it's dark brown and brittle from dye."

"Good work Alexx, slowly but surely we are building a profile on this guy."

"Mrs Silver and Detective Silver, was there a connection with that?" Alexx queried curiously.

"A message to Ridley, he left a birthday card as well," Horatio confessed coolly as he rested his hands on his hips.

Alexx looked mildly horrified before she hid it behind a false expression of calm. "That's horrible, no one wonder that poor girl is worried about ending up here."

"It's not the first time he tried this, she said the ninth case had two victims, siblings Justine and Riley, their deaths were similar to our first case, Amelia Greene and Jesse King, only in this case they were killed by a hook, incidentally one was left at the scene hanging off the door handle but not the one that killed them. Detective Silver was murdered two weeks later."

"Ouch, he warned them once, they didn't listen and Detective Silver paid a price, now he's warning again."

"Why?" Horatio pondered. "He wants hunted, otherwise why the theme of the kills and the trademark of the Ace of Spades, this is all about attention."

"Maybe with us on the crime Ridley's use has expired in his eyes," Alexx suggested coldly. "We want to believe it's personal because we want to believe we mean something but maybe, to him, one cop is as good as another. Detective Silver and Detective Moon were one cop too many, but he was violent with Detective Silver; he must have feared retribution from all of New York and fled. Up until then no one in New York cared after all but one of their own, the cops couldn't ignore that not even for their precious reputations. Now, he has the Miami CSI team after him, he's got all the attention he wants in Miami."

"So Ridley is expendable," Horatio murmured darkly.

"You need to keep both eyes on her Horatio."

"I wish I could," the redhead replied coolly, "but she won't even let me into her home."

* * *

Ridley paused in the corridor and tugged out her mobile as it started to ring. She looked at the name in glowing blue font with an expression of dread before flipping it open. "Afternoon Detective Flack," she greeted calmly as she leaned against the wall slightly.

"Detective Moon," came the tough New Yorker retort, a mixture of sarcasm, fierceness and fiery threat, it was the finely perfected voice of New York Detective Donald 'Don' Flack. "So there's a Mrs Silver dead now huh?"

Ridley heard the rage in his voice and knew that he was barely suppressing it. She weaved her left hand through her hair and held back a sigh. "Yes," she confessed through gritted teeth, "news sure travels fast."

"Ridley you went down to fix this mess, how the Hell is it worse?" He didn't give her an opportunity to answer, his accusations coming in quick, hot bursts. "What do you think Ellie's reaction was to all this huh? She's in the hospital Ridley, in the goddamn hospital again."

"I'm sorry," Ridley retorted lamely as she dropped her left hand limp by her side.

"Silver, that's not a coincidence, is it?" Detective Flack snapped angrily. "And now, right after your birthday."

"No," she retorted quietly.

"Ridley this can't be happening again, this guy killed a Justine and a Riley because of you two, remember? I'm the one that had to go and explain that to their parents. How are you explaining this to Mrs. Silver's family? Probably no better than you did to the first Mrs. Silver!"

"I..." Her voice cracked at the anger in his voice and she slumped against the wall slightly. "I'm doing all I can, I swear to God Don, I've looked at all the evidence again, and again, and again, you know I have. I want nothing more than for all this shit to end," she retorted angrily. "I want Justin avenged."

"We all do Ridley but how much longer can we wait? How much more do you think Ellie can take? It's only been three months and now this; she just collapsed, like she had seen a ghost according to her sister. It's no good if you get this guy and everyone's dead, and it's no good if you keep chasing him and the only result is he gets pissed off enough to start playing a name game with his victims. Look, you and I both know if not Justine and Riley it would've been another unlucky pair, and if not this Mrs. Silver, someone else, but the press and the families don't see it that way; Ellie doesn't see it that way. They think if you weren't poking up his ass those people wouldn't be dead."

"You don't think I think that?" Ridley demanded heatedly. "I hear their screams Don, I see their faces, I see Justin's every night damnit, I try to close my eyes and he's there."

"You see him?" Detective Flack sneered. "You didn't even come to see his body! What do you think I see at night? One of my friends on a metal slab, brutally slashed to bits!"

Ridley shuddered but said nothing.

"You didn't even come to the funeral Ridley, Ellie hated you for that, I hate you for that, he was your friend, didn't he deserve your respect?"

"Of course he did!" she exclaimed. It was loud enough to draw several questioning stares from staff members passing by. It also drew a curious Calleigh to the door of the room she, Speed and Eric were in. The blonde opened it and peered out, spying Ridley to the right, against the wall and trembling slightly as her eyes became damp with tears.

"I was too ashamed to go Don! I failed him! I didn't think he could hear me. Could he have in that morgue? Was his soul still clinging on?" she demanded as she swallowed down a sob. "Could I have said sorry? I thought it was far too late...but if he could have heard..." She sagged to the floor, raising her knees up before her as she leaned back against the wall. "I am so sorry Don; if I could trade places...he would have solved this case by now."

"No Ridley," Don's voice became softer, "you were always the observant one and the brains, Justin was our tough charmer. Look, I didn't know...you should have been there; you aren't the only one who feels responsible for his death. Half of the police force left you both out to dry, alone for that guy to get at you, if we had been a team on this he couldn't have made it personal, there would have been too many of us to pick a bone with.

Ridley if I'm honest I'm angry because I'm afraid for you, it's been six months since this started, how much longer before he tries to pick you off too? I know you and I have been distant since Justin was killed but I don't want you dead."

"I know Don but I have to finish this, one way or another. Tell Ellie that, please, let her know I'm trying Don, I'm trying so hard."

"I know, and I'll let her know. Look, I just don't want the next news headline to have your name on it, seeing his again was bad enough."

"I know," Ridley croaked as the tears finally started to pour down her cheeks. "I'll see his grave when I'm done, okay?"

"Okay kid, we'll go together."

"Thanks. Bye Don."

"Bye."

Ridley snapped the phone shut, pocketed it and immediately pushed herself to her feet. She rubbed at her eyes fiercely and began pushing her dark strands out of her face.

"Ridley?"

She turned sharply at Calleigh's voice and wondered how much the blonde had heard.

Calleigh looked at her pityingly, she saw the same bloodshot, baggy eyes that Horatio had, along with the tangled dark hair and the wrinkled clothes of last night, but unlike her superior she saw past that. She saw the desperation in the woman, the cracks that were starting to appear as she resisted asking for the help she clearly needed. 'Stubbornness or acceptance?' Calleigh pondered. 'Is she afraid to ask for it because she thinks it makes her look weak or because she didn't get it in New York? Or does she think it's too late?'

"Do you want to talk?" Calleigh queried calmly.

"No, I...I need to look at the photos again," Ridley muttered.

"You've been at it all night and day," the blonde reminded her. "Look, why don't you come join us and get a coffee while you're at it?" she suggested lightly. "We've confirmed that Rachel has dirt from outside on her shoes but Beth doesn't and something's not adding up."

"Yeah, they switched," Ridley answered bluntly.

"What?" Calleigh looked at her in surprise.

"The bridesmaids, Beth and Rachel are roughly the same build with dark hair they both wore up and Anna and Claire are even closer, they'd be easy to mix up even without the masks."

"Why?" Calleigh demanded. "Why implicate each other?"

"They're covering not implicating, or maybe Beth didn't expect there was going to be a crime she could be implicated for," Ridley retorted wearily. "I'm not sure who did what exactly but I know those bridesmaids swapped about, I'm certain of it. What if it wasn't Rachel on the dance floor with Danny but Beth? What if that's what the bride was scorning her about on the dance floor? It gave Rachel the perfect alibi, but her shoes gave her away, Dr. Woods is narrowing down the time of death but let's say we can pinpoint it to during the dance rather than after, then Rachel supposedly has an alibi, she's on the dance floor, but the fact is she sneaked off only we thought it was Beth which is why she lacked an alibi, she didn't realise how noticeable hers or rather Rachel's absent would be. Maybe Beth didn't even realise Rachel would be absent. Fact is though if Beth's only crime was being outside at some point she's probably happy not to have an alibi because there's not going to be any evidence tying her to the crime."

"And what about Claire and Anna?"

"Anna talked to Mark and tried to leave before all of this but Mr. McDowell stopped her, at some point after she succeeds in leaving but was that always her? Or was it Claire?" Ridley shrugged. "I don't know, Anna had motive, even if it was only minor, frankly though I think the whole lot of them are hiding something but..." Ridley sighed and rubbed her right eye tiredly. "But their best friend was murdered so they are as much in shock as in conspiracy."

"We need to go through the photos and spot the switch, Rachel and Beth aren't twins so there will be something that proves which of them was on the dance floor," Calleigh said excitedly, "and if we do that then we can go back and question them. Anyway, come with me and let's discuss it with the boys." Calleigh gestured back to the open doorway she had come out of. "Please, we're getting so close with all of this," the blonde urged.

Ridley nodded wearily, unable to resist the Southern belle's encouraging smile and friendly blue stare. The pair headed into the room where Speed and Eric were pretending a little too hard to be studying the evidence before them.

"The report on Danny's jacket will be back soon," Eric blurted out as he heard Ridley's boot heels on the dark tiles, "if it's blood or algae we've got him."

"Maybe he found Rachel and the body," Calleigh suggested as she glanced at Ridley with a small smile.

"Maybe," Ridley murmured, "or Mark did."

Speed glanced up at the New Yorker as he wondered about Justin and the coin necklace. He had caught only part of her conversation to Detective Flack but he had gathered enough to know who it had been about. "You look tired," he stated flatly.

"She is," Calleigh retorted, "so why don't you be a gentleman and get her a coffee?"

"A gentleman," Eric sneered before he could help it, "him?"

Calleigh turned her commanding blue stare on him. "I don't see you rushing to do it," she pointed out.

Speed let out a deliberate sigh before standing up and trudging over to the coffee machine reluctantly. He shoved a cup under it and hit a few buttons, once the coffee had spurted out he added two sachets of sugar and a tiny hint of milk before stirring it up.

Eric grinned at him knowingly and queried, "are you clairvoyant Speed?"

Speed looked at him dully as he sat the cup down and pushed it across to Ridley like it was a rotten piece of fruit. "No," he answered coolly.

"Then how do you know how Ridley likes her coffee?" Eric demanded as his grin widened.

Ridley froze up just a little and was unable to banish the alarm in her tired eyes before Calleigh glimpsed it. Speed, to his credit, didn't even flinch as he answered bitingly, "lucky guess."

"I thought you frowned on guesses," Eric teased, refusing to let go of the topic.

"Only when they're related to cases," Speed grumbled.

"Anyway," Calleigh ended the discussion swiftly, "so you don't have to guess I like my coffee black and strong. Now, tell them what you told me Ridley."

* * *

Horatio opened the door quickly querying, "who wants to interview the bridesmaids?"

"Shush!" Calleigh snapped at him in a loud whisper. She gestured pointedly to Ridley with one hand. The New Yorker was once again unconscious on a couch, looking as uncomfortable as ever. "She only just fell asleep and I would like to interview the bridesmaids but I believe Alexx's report might give me a murder weapon or weapons to go hunting for?" She looked to her superior hopefully.

Horatio had the grace to look a little apologetic as he glanced at Ridley before turning his stare back on Calleigh. "The father of the bride suffered blunt force trauma to the back of a skull from a rounded weapon, roughly two inches wide with uneven edges, and the bride was suffocated, quickly according to Alexx."

"The reports came back, food stains on Danny's jacket but algae on Mark's," Eric announced.

"Right," Horatio said confidently with a flicker of a smile, "and as we know the fountain was off and there was only water in the bottom tier, meaning someone, in this case Mark, had to make a conscious effort to get wet."

"Ridley thinks the murder happened during the dance and not after," Calleigh said happily with a small glance at Ridley, "and she proved that it wasn't Rachel on the dance floor, it was Beth pretending to be Rachel. Meaning, Rachel left during the dance not Beth, but I don't think Beth knew what Rachel had planned when she agreed to be her stand in given her weak alibi. Then when Rachel came back she hurried to Danny to enhance the alibi of having never left the room but, as we've proved, she had dirt on her shoes whilst Beth, despite claiming to be outside, did not."

"Good work guys," Horatio praised quietly, "but we need to prove it. Alexx can only narrow down the time of death so much."

"I'll come," Eric spoke up, "the girls don't know what we do and don't know and they're vulnerable, they're in shock over their friend's murder. I think if we interview them separately and make them think one's turning on them then one might give us the truth."

Horatio nodded in agreement. "Right and once we put this to bed we can turn our attention back on our very real Grim Reaper." He gave Ridley a serious look then thinking of her hysteria over the thought of ending up in the morgue.

"She had a call earlier," Calleigh confessed reluctantly. She felt that she was betraying Ridley a little to her superior but given the state of grief and guilt it had driven her to the blonde felt Horatio should know. "I don't know who from, someone called Don I think. I didn't hear much of it but I think it was about Detective Silver's death, I think someone connected to him is pretty angry that our latest victim had his name but I'm just guessing." She stepped up to Horatio and then confided to him softly, "she was talking about him being in the morgue, saying that she was too ashamed to visit him and asking if his soul was still there to hear her apology. I'm worried about her Horatio, a black eye, a victim with her partner's name, a birthday card, and now this call, how much can she take?"

Horatio nodded as he wondered if this explained her freak out with Alexx, was it guilt over not seeing the deceased Detective Silver? He retorted quietly, "she has dark secrets Calleigh and I can't get them out of her."

Horatio then looked to Eric and said, "right Eric, let's you and I go question our wedding party and Calleigh, you can go back to the crime scene and hopefully find our murder weapon."

"What about me?" Speed demanded as he folded his arms. "Shouldn't I go with Calleigh?"

"Sure," Calleigh replied merrily, "but would you wake Ridley from her entirely too short nap before we do that so she can go home instead of waking up alone and probably feeling a little unnerved and left out because we've all gone?"

Speed shook his head scornfully, flung his hands up in despair and then pressed them down hard on the table. "Alright," he snapped, just about managing to keep his voice quiet, "I'll babysit but you owe me."

Calleigh let out a chortle. "You really are a gentleman," she said brightly in a sardonic manner. She then added a little more seriously, "Ridley's not a baby; she's a grown woman who's suffered a lot over the past few months. She was stuck on a case no one wanted, her own police force effectively threw her to the wolves over it, she was personally blamed for every death, her only companion throughout all of it was brutally murdered, which she clearly blames herself for, and then she's sent alone to a strange city to deal with it all over again and she has a new team of CSIs to scrutinise and grill her. Oh yes, and she celebrated her birthday for the first time without her friends and family, and some sick serial killer decided to make it personal by killing someone with her partner's name and leaving a birthday card for her. Hey Speed," she queried sharply, "how well would you be sleeping after all that? And how together do you think you would be keeping it?"

"You've made your point," he groaned to the table.

"Good."

The three CSIs left the room abandoning Speed to the numerous photographs and notes. As the time passed he found himself fixating with the same ones Ridley had obsessed over, the photographs and video stills of what she believed was not just a killer but the killer, the madman who had tormented her for months now in two cities. Speed studied the picture with interest as he wondered if the man really was who they hoped it was. Would he be so brazen as to dress as Death? Well it did fit the profile of a cocky, attention seeker who was getting sloppy with overconfidence.

After a while he plucked up his camera and began scrolling through the photos on it listlessly. The wedding scene just looked wrong, even in the main room where there was no hint of death, the cake with the fake bloodstains, the black balloons; it was all so dark and unwedding like. He paused when a photo of Ridley flashed up- on her birthday night in his house in his black shirt staring at his camera with an odd smile. He stared at it in annoyance, the smile was real and yet it didn't quite reach her eyes, she was happy but she was unhappy in the picture, all just a part of her craziness he supposed. He scowled at the gold coin necklace shining back in the photograph, mocking him, and his finger hovered above the delete button.

'I should just delete her,' he thought moodily, 'off my camera, out of my head and out of my personal life. She's nuts and she's been crazy since her birthday, she looked terrified outside that party, what the Hell was she running from, her own shadow?' He knew that he was being nasty and he knew he had been nasty about her necklace but she had punched him!

He sat down the camera, leaned back in the chair and looked her way. Uncomfortable and shivering again, only, he realised, it wasn't cold this time. He frowned, stood up and approached her cautiously, wondering if he should wake her. He tugged his open blue shirt off leaving him in only a t-shirt; it was a mildly warm evening though so he didn't mind. He went to place it on her before halting, this was déjà vu and exactly what he shouldn't be doing, this would only lead to trouble or another punch in the face probably. He pulled up and went to place his shirt back on when her brown-grey eyes flickered open.

Ridley sat up in surprise and looked about in a hurry, first to the clock before she scanned the room and realised only Speed was left. It was now half six, she had been asleep for almost two hours. "Where is everyone?" she asked curiously.

"Calleigh's checking the crime scene and Horatio and Eric are interviewing the bridesmaids, they're hoping to make them crack into a confession."

"Oh. Um...why didn't you go with them?" She hoped it didn't sound like an insult or an accusation; she wasn't trying to mean it that way but why was he here with her? After everything that happened...

When Speed gave a characteristic scowl Ridley almost winced, knowing he had of course taken the question the wrong way. "Calleigh didn't want you waking up alone," he confessed coolly, "nor did Horatio, though he wouldn't say it. I mean you've been weird since Halloween night, and look," he held up a hand before she could protest, "I know I was out of line about your necklace, it's not my business and you and I were just having a fling but obviously your affair was more serious," he added the last bit snidely, unable to help himself. 'Well shit,' he thought in surprise at himself, 'that just slipped out.'

Ridley's eyes went wide in shock at first before she narrowed them in anger. "I wasn't sleeping with him when he gave me the necklace, not that it is your business."

"Just after then?" he quipped nastily.

Ridley shook her head angrily and reached up one hand to the necklace. "I'm not wearing this because I'm his property," she said frostily. "I told you, it's a reminder of my promise to get his killer, not a reminder of our relationship. Anyway, what the hell kind of apology was that? You're right, you were out of line and you still are!"

"Right and you weren't by punching me?" he snapped with a gesture to his still swollen nose.

Ridley looked embarrassed as she stared up at the reddened nose. "I am sorry about that," she said sincerely.

Speed's brown gaze softened slightly as he lowered his left hand. "Okay, well I really am sorry for implying you were Detective Silver's pet."

Ridley nodded. "So...are we friends again?"

Speed nodded this time. "Yeah, sure."

"Good." She gave a faint, tired smile. "So, why do you have your shirt in your hand? Too warm?"

Speed glanced down at his shirt in his right hand with a sheepish look. "Yes," he lied before he looked up at her again. "Why are you cold?"

"A little," she confessed, "weird since this is Miami and a lot warmer than New York."

"Well you take this then," he said it bluntly like he was offering her a pile of heavy boxes to carry.

Ridley gave him an odd look before staring at the blue shirt he was now holding out to her. "I don't get you," she said softly with a shake of her head.

"Come again?" he queried in disbelief.

She looked up at his scornful brown eyes and repeated, "I don't get you."

"Well I sure as hell don't get you so we're even," he retorted brusquely. "Look take the damn shirt and then get up because you're exhausted and you need to go to bed and honestly, I don't believe for two seconds that you will go to Ruby's willingly so I'm going to drive."

"Tim," she started to protest, pausing as the name sounded odd coming from her. She had said it with familiarity and wondered if she really had the right.

"Ridley don't argue, your eyes look like they are about to fall out of your skull."

"Alright Tim."

* * *

_Wow guys a big thanks for all the reviews, I appreciate them so much! Honestly they really are a great reward for all the effort I put into this and inspire me to keep to going :-) So keep them coming!_

_So this strictly speaking isn't a cross-over fic but since Ridley is from New York how could I not include some of the CSI:NY characters, even if it's only in small cameos. I just imagined that Justin would've been good friends with Detective Don Flack and that Don took his death quite hard and held a grudge against Ridley over it and that's how he ended up having this fleeting cameo as I started to imagine him giving Ridley grief over failing to wrap up the case. Kind of makes me imagine a potential prequel fic in New York too lol._

_Anyways, more focus on Ridley this time since she is my OC, I hope you all still like her! I know her and Tim are getting a good bit of focus lately but honestly I just love writing them, almost as much as I love writing Horatio and Ruby lol. But yeah our killer's finally left some trace!_


	12. Chapter 12- Teamwork

_Thank you Britt, Anne and Joni, I have to reply to you guys here since you don't have accounts! I'm glad you are enjoying this story and glad you all enjoyed the last chapter!_

_Honestly I just can't stop writing this, your reviews really inspire me and help keep it going. Bonus early chapter here thanks to me having a Bank Holiday today! I'm already working on the next chapter as well but back to work tomorrow so you might have to wait a couple of days for that. _

_As always please read and review, let me know your likes and dislikes etc, every comment helps! _

_Also, if you want to see some art I did for this fic google Murder in Miami YubariGogo, it's on deviantART and will show you how I picture Ridley :-)  
_

* * *

Speed turned off the engine as they arrived outside the apartment block where Ruby lived and glanced over at Ridley. She had been quiet during the journey, almost nodding off despite the metal music blaring through the stereo but now she had perked up and was looking past him to the apartments apprehensively.

"Ridley I've got to ask you something," he said seriously.

Her eyes flickered to him curiously and she gave a quick nod.

"Eric saw you running from that house party on Halloween like you were spooked, what happened?" he pried. It had all started then, he was sure of it, the birthday card and the murder of a Mrs Silver had only added to it but her fear had started before.

"I found the decor unpleasant," she muttered. Seeing Tim's look of scorn as he thought she was mocking him she chose to continue speaking. "It reminded me of something," she confessed, "I..." She bowed her head slightly as her face became tight with grief and her shoulders slumped slightly as if a huge weight had been set across them. "I had a friend, a very close friend, Flick, and she went through something terrible, I...I'd rather not explain but...well I was reminded of that in that...house." She trailed off uncomfortably.

"Flick? I thought you hated nicknames," Speed remarked dryly as he tried and failed to understand how a haunted house party could connect to her friend's traumatic experience.

"I do," she retorted coldly, "but not...not then, it was short for Felicity. She was kidnapped, tortured," she spoke matter-of-factly as if she was trying to distance herself from the memory but the sweat beading at her brow showed she was failing. She sucked in a breath and shuddered. "There was a room," she mumbled tiredly, "in the house, with people in chains, I just, I thought of that."

Speed nodded slowly as he wondered why Ridley struggled to explain this. Alright it had been a close friend but Ridley was a cop, she should still be able to distance herself from it, especially given time had passed but she was struggling to like it was personal. He could admit to himself that when someone you knew was involved it was very difficult to play the cop and not the friend. "Right, that's awful," he retorted lamely. "Is it why you became a detective?"

Ridley shook her head. "Well partly but honestly, I just wanted to be able to protect myself." She glanced up at the dark haired male curiously and quipped, "what about you? I know you say it's just a paycheque but there must be a reason why this paycheque and not another."

"I was good at it to begin with; I stuck at it because I had a good mentor, Megan Donner."

"And what happened to her?" Ridley pried.

Speed looked pained for a moment before he answered, it had been a while since he had thought about Megan and even longer since he had seen her or spoken to her. "Her husband was killed, dragged down by a selfish suicide jumper who he was trying to talk down. She came back to work for a while after that but she wasn't the same, snappy and angry all the time, she couldn't deal with the job anymore."

Ridley nodded to her lap. "Too personal," she murmured sardonically.

Speed gave her an odd look that she missed before muttering, "right." He then turned his gaze back on the apartments; it all looked quiet, despite the evening still being young and light.

"Anyway," Ridley finally unbuckled her seatbelt, "would you like to come in?"

Speed turned back to her ready to refuse but something in her eyes made him pause. It was not a flirtatious offer, not even the innocent request of a friend, more like a cop asking her partner to check the scene out with her. It was apprehension, paranoia even, probably brought about from lack of sleep. "Sure," he answered calmly. He chose to feign ignorance to the spark of relief that darted through her stare and instead unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the car door.

They walked up to Ruby's briskly and Ridley unlocked the front door. They were greeted by the cheery noise of several people drinking and joking in the living room, which was prominently visible from the front door. Ruby, Brian, Will and two other girls were seated on the battered green couches around the coffee table, which was cluttered with glasses, beer tins and plastic bowls of crisps. Ruby jumped up with a grin, wine glass spinning in her right hand as she rushed over to greet Ridley. She beamed at her before giving the blue shirt hanging off her and the CSI behind her a quick glance of disapproval.

"Ridley where the hell have you been?" she demanded jovially as she wrapped her arms about her friend and drew her close. She took the time to give Speed a glower over Ridley's shoulder.

Speed gave Ruby a nonplussed look, entirely unthreatened by her glower. He was more curious about the brown haired blue eyed male currently glaring at him and ignoring the tanned, skinny blonde trying to get his attention.

"Working," Ridley answered calmly as she hugged Ruby briefly with one hand before shrugging her off. Ruby smelled off daisies and violets, her favourite perfume, and her breath was fruity and sweet with wine and her cheeks flushed; it made Ridley relax a little as it was all so wonderfully familiar, calm and happy even.

Ruby gave her friend a look of disapproval. "You work too hard," she complained with a wag of her finger, "I told that redhead to stop hassling you with work."

"Redhead?" Ridley echoed sharply.

"That Horace guy, Mr Loves His Sunglasses," Ruby explained.

Speed let a snigger of amusement before he could help himself earning another glare for his troubles.

"Horatio," Ridley groaned with a frown. "Ruby what did you tell him now?"

"Nothing," Ruby lied as she thought of the coin bracelet now buried in her jewellery box. The only reason she had been wearing it when Horatio had stopped by was because Ridley was missing in action and therefore wouldn't see it, how could she have known the poser cop was so damn nosy? "He stopped by this morning, wanted to know where you were, not much of a detective is he? I mean he can't even find his own staff."

Ridley gave a small smile as she shook her head chidingly.

"Hey Ridley are you joining us?" Brian queried brightly with an inviting smile.

"No thanks," Ridley retorted with a shake of her head. "I'm going to go to bed," she told Ruby, "I haven't slept in a while."

"I can tell," Ruby scorned her, "but what about the noise?"

"Don't worry," Ridley assured her, "I won't mind." She turned and started walking to the back of the living room, taking the door to the right and heading up a dark corridor.

Speed followed as he wasn't sure what else to do and took the opportunity to take in the photos on the walls. He frowned slightly at Justin Silver's face grinning back at him, he looked inappropriately cosy with Ridley in some photos but the weird thing was she had that odd smile on again, happy but unhappy. 'What does that smile mean?' he wondered in annoyance. 'Did she not like his attention? Could've fooled me.'

They stopped in Ridley's room. It had a single bed, a small wardrobe, a wooden cabinet beside the bed with three drawers and a lamp resting on top of it, and a bookshelf that had only a small pile of books on their sides on one shelf with a few other random ornaments, a clock, a pair of sunglasses and a small snow globe with the Empire State Building inside. There was also a window to the left of the room, the horizontal white blinds were drawn and the thin, pink curtains half open, and an old, chipped radiator was beneath it. The room was small, impersonal and practical rather than comfortable and Speed thought pityingly that it suited Ridley right down to the ground. A perfect space for a cop who just needed a place to sleep, a cop obsessed with their job who didn't spend a lot of time relaxing or even regularly washing or changing for that matter.

"I should give you this back," Ridley remarked uncomfortably as she made to take off the shirt.

Speed held up a hand and shook his head. "Don't worry about it," he said dismissively. He felt oppressed in this room, it was just too small and Ridley's obvious discomfort wasn't helping. She had wanted him to accompany her to the apartment but she didn't seem like she wanted him in her bedroom. 'Too personal?' he pondered dryly as he spied the silver framed photograph beside the lamp that was purposely turned down hiding the picture from view. 'Bet it's Saint Silver,' he thought mockingly.

"I should go," he said as he dug his hands into his pockets and tried to spy something of Ridley in the room. The bed covers were plain pink and purple, definitely Ruby's choice, there was nothing else though, no cushions, no teddy, no rug on the short, worn, stained, pink carpet, nothing that suggested anything other than a guest room save for the snow globe and the sunglasses.

"Right," Ridley replied calmly. "Well thanks for the lift home and the shirt and...staying while I slept," she finished quietly.

Speed nodded as he looked back at her awkwardly. "No problem. Are you alright staying here? With all that noise I mean."

She nodded reassuringly as she gave him a faint smile. "It's comforting actually," she admitted, "knowing there are people nearby."

"I guess," he said non-committantly as he thought it was actually a pain in the ass having to deal with a flatmate's party. "Get some sleep Ridley," he urged.

"I will, do you want me to walk you to the door?"

He gave her a small, cynical smile. "I'm a big boy, I think I'll manage. Besides, if you do that you might not go back to bed when I leave."

"True, well thanks again and good night."

"Night." He turned away from her and headed back up the corridor at a slower pace, taking in what he could. The corridor had a rough, grey carpet badly in need of replacing and not a whole lot else save for some framed photos on the walls of what he thought might be Ruby's relations.

He was not entirely surprised when he made it back to the living room and was immediately cornered by Ruby. "Forget your shirt Swifty?" she queried dryly with a raised eyebrow.

"Swifty?" he repeated in bemusement.

"Swift, or Sweep or whatever the Hell your name is."

"Speedle," he reminded her coolly, "Tim Speedle." He was glad she had forgotten his nickname as he was starting to think she wasn't worthy of saying it. 'She might be attractive but she's a pain in the ass,' he thought scornfully.

"Uh huh." Ruby stepped up to and poked him hard in the chest with one finger. "Look, Ridley doesn't need you; she doesn't need any more bloody cops messing her up."

"I brought her home from work," Speed retorted frostily as he reached up, grabbed Ruby's finger and pushed it back from his chest, "how exactly is that messing her up?"

"Oh don't give me that," Ruby sneered as she yanked her finger back from his grasp. "Look she only went home with you from that club because she didn't want to leave alone and I don't mean she didn't want to leave single, I mean a-looo-own." Her voice dropped a decimal as if she suddenly remembered they had an audience. "She didn't pick you because she liked you either, you had a gun. Look, it's Ridley's curse, she goes off with men who she thinks can keep her safe, it's not healthy and since you seem to be becoming a regular I have to stop it," her words were starting to slur and Speed didn't think the gulp of wine she followed them with was going to help. "You cops aren't any good for her, all the same, just use and aaaa-booose."

"Right, I think, firstly," Speed retorted bitingly, "I had a good idea that Ridley didn't leave that club with me for my award winning personality, I mean imagine two consenting adults getting together for selfish means but that was a while ago Ruby and not really your business. Secondly, Ridley's a cop too, so what, she's not good for herself?"

"Ha ha," Ruby replied sarcastically as she wobbled unsteadily on her high heels. "Look Speedle, maybe you're a nice guy but Ridley isn't with you for that, she's using you because she's scared and the only reason I'm telling you this is because I don't want her getting screwed up over another cop."

"Good thing I'm not just a cop then," he retorted acidly. "Anyway, night Ruby." He turned away before she could retort, opened the door and escaped out to the mild evening air.

'She thinks I can keep her safe,' he pondered deprecatingly, 'from what? I'd like to believe her friend's just drunk and talking nonsense because she doesn't like me but it didn't seem that way. We had barely met that night so I gathered she was just after sex but protection? That's...fucked. Is that why she had an affair with Justin?' He felt a fresh anger building within him and tried to suppress it as he climbed into his car. 'Does it matter? It's screwed up but it's her problem, guess I just have to make sure she doesn't sleep with me again just because I have a gun.' He thought of Halloween night and the morning after, he had come pretty close to being stupid again then. 'She was scared that night, is that why she came home with me? It doesn't add up, she's a frigging cop herself and has her own gun, and until all that shit with the necklace started she seemed...well she seemed interested enough in me.'

He shook his head moodily and tried to dismiss his thoughts, contemplating that maybe Ruby was just jealous or being a dick but much as he wanted to believe that of the redhead he couldn't help but think in a warped way she was being honest about Ridley because she wanted to help her friend. 'Well it doesn't matter,' he decided sternly. 'It was a while ago and it's not like I was any less selfish about it, I just wanted to get laid that night. We're friends now and I don't want another bloody argument so I'll just let it go.'

* * *

"So how did it go?" Speed queried Calleigh dryly.

He, Eric, Calleigh, Ridley and Horatio were all gathered in Horatio's office discussing Eric, Horatio and Calleigh's results from what the press were dubbing 'The Wedding of Death'. The blonde beamed up at the sardonic male and retorted, "Rachel and Mark copped to the murder."

"Why?" Ridley queried curiously.

"Because their prints were all over the murder weapon," Calleigh retorted.

"They admitted to it before we could confirm that," Eric pointed out with a small smile at the blonde.

"I suppose that was because of your fine interrogation skills," Speed remarked dryly.

"You bet," Eric retorted defensively.

"Motive?" Ridley quipped as she looked to the swarthy male curiously.

"Claire."

"Claire?" Speed echoed.

"The one bridesmaid we didn't suspect of foul play," Horatio murmured, "ironically the innocent who caused all the carnage." The redhead stood behind the table Calleigh, Eric and Ridley were seated at, whilst Speed was to the left and opposite Ridley.

Ridley looked puzzled whilst Speed simply looked annoyed. Speed sighed, folded his arms and leaned back against the counter. "So what was the story?"

"Mr and Mrs. McDowell held an engagement party for their daughter two months ago; Mr McDowell was allegedly very drunk at this party," Horatio explained with a hint of mockery in his voice.

"And perverted," Calleigh spoke up with a look of displeasure, "he hit on every woman there apparently, especially the bridesmaids to be."

"It was Beth who told us," Eric confessed as he leaned back in his seat, "she thought it might lessen her friends' sentencing."

"Told you what?" Ridley demanded as she felt a chill rush through her.

"He cornered Claire when she was leaving the bathroom, apparently he then forced her into his own bedroom and raped her," Eric answered bluntly.

"Nice guy," Speed murmured cynically.

"Rachel and Beth found her outside the house later on, they knew something had happened but she wouldn't confess. A few days later she finally admitted to it, but she swore them to silence, not wanting to upset her friend, Jess McDowell," Horatio murmured. "Beth says she tried to persuade Claire to go the police but Claire just wanted to bury it all."

"Was he near her at the wedding?" Ridley queried in a voice that was taut as if she was trying to force herself to be calm.

"No, well not in a criminal way anyway," Eric replied, "his murder wasn't spontaneous."

Calleigh sighed and pushed some of her long, golden hair over her right shoulder. "It's a pity too, I mean you can understand it, guy was a pig, if he'd tried it again with Claire and Rachel whacked him over the head maybe the courts would have accepted defending her friend as a plea."

Ridley folded her arms and bowed her head. "But Rachel swapped with Beth for the main dance, that had to have been premeditated," she murmured frostily.

"Exactly," Calleigh commented sorrowfully, "although we can't prove it was premeditated before the evening, they might have come up with the plan within an hour, maybe seeing him there sparked Rachel on a course of revenge. We don't know though, she wouldn't say much."

"And where does Mark come into it?" Speed wondered aloud.

"He's good friends with Anna and he had a crush on Claire apparently," Horatio answered. "After Mr McDowell harassed Anna and left the room, Mark went after him. That's when he found Rachel and knew she wasn't on the dance floor where she should have been. He told us he knew about Claire but he didn't know it was as bad as rape until the wedding night when he found Rachel outside and she told him."

"They did it together," Ridley remarked quietly. "Avenged their friend, killed a monster before he could hurt her again and now they're going to jail for it."

Horatio's dark blue eyes looked to the young woman sternly as he wondered at her words. 'Killed the monster before he could hurt her again,' he pondered her words curiously. 'Is that why Samuel Hawkes had to die? Did Detective Silver really pull that trigger?'

"If people can take the law into their own hands it becomes anarchy," Eric said sternly as he looked at Ridley disapprovingly.

Ridley's head snapped up and she glared across the room at him. "Is it so easy to sit back when the law fails?" she demanded sharply.

"If ordinary people start playing cop and judge where does that leave us?" Eric retorted defensively. "Claire should have reported the attack at the time and Mr McDowell could have been prosecuted."

"Only if the evidence was enough!" Ridley yelled as she stood up suddenly. "And even then it might have been meaningless! Claire was terrified, she probably thought the law would fail her and he would hurt her or someone as punishment and she might have been right about that!" She flung her hands up in frustration before storming out of the room.

"What in the hell was that about?" Eric demanded. "Spook chick is really starting to lose her marbles."

"Don't call her that," Speed chided.

Eric looked up at his friend in angry disbelief and replied moodily, "why not? Are you suddenly on her side now?"

"We're all on the same side Eric," Horatio spoke up calmly.

"She's not losing it," Speed said crossly, "she just had a friend who went through something similar that's all."

"A friend?" Horatio queried as his sharp gaze flickered over to the dark haired male.

"And how do you know this?" Eric questioned, more curious than angry now.

"She told me last night."

Eric smiled prompting Speed to frown and shake his head. "Not what you think Delko," he commented moodily.

Eric laughed, his anger dissipated with his friend's awkwardness. "Then why are you getting defensive?"

"What about this friend?" Horatio pushed for an explanation. "Was it recent? Is that why Detective Moon is taking Claire's misfortune so personally?"

Speed shook his head as he felt a tinge of guilt for talking about it, Ridley had only just told him about this and it had obviously been difficult for her to discuss but still, he didn't like Eric and the others thinking she was simply losing it. "It was a while ago, I don't how long, she didn't say, some friend of hers called Felicity was kidnapped and raped by some guy."

"That's terrible," Calleigh gasped.

"And I'm guessing from her reaction there now that the cops didn't get the guy," Eric commented sardonically with a shake of his head. "Man, well I get why she lit there but that's not our fault. I mean, Claire didn't report the crime and even if she was scared that doesn't give Rachel and Mark the right to murder the man."

Calleigh stood up and faced the men calmly. "Well I'm going to go after her, seems like she could use someone to talk to."

"Send Speed," Eric spoke teasingly with a smirk at his friend, "she obviously likes talking to him."

"I don't think someone who's going to repeat what she says would be right," Calleigh retorted chidingly as she gave Speed a frosty, blue eyed stare.

"What?" Speed snapped as he stood upright. "Calleigh come on, I just didn't want you guys thinking she was yelling for no reason."

"You men," Calleigh scorned as she shook her head at the three of them, "gossiping about that poor woman, name calling, and spying into her affairs," she frowned pointedly at Horatio with this remark, "she's meant to be part of her team but it's like she is still an outsider."

"I wasn't," Speed protested angrily, "and you were happy to listen!"

Calleigh frowned, it wasn't that she was happy to listen to the story but it had explained something about Ridley. "Not the point Speed," she berated him, "oh and by the way, I know you borrowed my camera and forgot to put the memory card back in."

"Well I am sincerely sorry about that," he grumbled back moodily.

"Guys," Horatio protested gently, "let's not squabble. Calleigh, please find Detective Moon and have her rejoin us, we need to discuss our second killer at the wedding, it's vital that we go over the evidence of him because the press look set to blame Rachel and Mark for both deaths and we all know that's not right."

The blonde nodded before hastening out the door. Horatio wanted to be the one to go after Ridley and confront her about Speed confirming his theory that she knew Felicity Chase, it had to be the same Felicity, Ridley had been wearing her necklace, Horatio was certain of it now. 'So Ridley bore a grudge over what happened to Felicity,' he thought coolly, 'then she comes across Hawkes, kills him for Felicity and Detective Silver takes the blame, why? Did he know about Hawkes? Was it an opportunity to blackmail Ridley into his bed? It doesn't quite fit, Ridley seems sincerely cut up over Detective Silver's loss, not really the attitude you take to someone who blackmailed you. No, Ruby thought he did her a favour, so he took the blame for Hawkes' death and Ridley felt indebted to him.' He paused in his thoughts and wondered why it concerned him so much. 'Because I failed to see Hawkes behind bars? Because I wondered and worried that he would reoffend, possibly on Felicity and Ridley might know the truth of that? Because it's a huge coincidence that someone who knows the girl I failed is down here right now working with me? It's unlikely that any of this is connected to our current case but I still have to know. Maybe Ridley knows what Felicity was trying to tell me, why she wouldn't turn Hawkes in. Ridley seems to want to blame the cops for it, does she realise all Felicity had to do was name him? Instead she just kept talking about a riddle.'

* * *

It took a while for Calleigh to find Ridley; she had to ask several staff members if they had seen the New Yorker and unsurprisingly her raging storm off had not gone missed. The blond found her outside on the edge of a low wall at the front staring out at the car park.

"Hey," Calleigh greeted gently as she stood before her, "can I join you?"

Ridley shrugged listlessly. "I can't stop you," she murmured. She didn't want to sound rude but she knew Calleigh had come out to ask her if she was okay and she didn't want to have to explain herself even though she knew she should.

Calleigh sat beside her, keeping a comfortable distance. "It's been a long, hard time for you down here," the blonde mused as she slipped on her sunglasses to block out the bright afternoon sun, "and we haven't helped with that."

Ridley looked at her in surprise. "What do you mean?" she queried quietly.

The blonde turned to her with a consoling smile. "You're different, new and strange and in on what's effectively our case, I mean to the guys it's like New York sent a woman down to supervise them and of course they've had to, well be guys about that." Calleigh let out a small chortle that sounded light and almost musical. "I like you," she insisted, "and I'm sorry that we haven't made you as much of this team as we should have but you are a part of this team Ridley. We do care about you, even Eric, so if you want to let off steam you can do it with us. Look, we all take cases personally once in a while even though we shouldn't; it's what makes us human."

Ridley nodded wearily. "Yeah, I'm sorry I stormed off I..."

"You don't have to explain," Calleigh cut her off gently, "it's fine." Part of her wanted to confess that she knew the truth of it thanks to Speed but she wanted to give the man a chance to admit it himself. "Anyway, this has been tough on you, I mean the birthday card and Mrs Silver and everything, it's personal and you must be freaking out, I would be freaking out if it were me, and we should be more supportive of that. Look, there's this carnival in town, it's not normally my thing but Eric invited me, I wasn't going to go but it's something different and he says Speed and Pam might go too, and honestly can you picture Speed at something that could be potentially fun?" Calleigh gave a wide smile.

"Pam?" Ridley repeated before she could help herself.

"Yeah, she's Speed's...well not girlfriend, I wouldn't go that far, I've never the woman but I'm sure she's nice." Calleigh paused and her smile widened just a little. "Wait a minute, I thought Eric was just making jokes, you and Speed..."

"No," Ridley protested quickly with a shake of her head.

Calleigh laughed again. "Oh thank goodness," she jested, "I mean I love him but he's tough work, so moody all the time, and careless, I'd be worried if you liked him. Good to hear, I thought I was just missing something as usual there. Anyway," she said as she placed her palms flat on her thighs, "my point is, you should join us tomorrow night, it would be a good way for the team to bond and for us to let off steam and have a life outside this case, and Ridley I think you need that. I know you're down here on business but you're still entitled to have a life and I want to get to know more about you."

"Well Ruby did mention it," Ridley confessed quietly, "my flatmate; she'd like me to go with her and friends."

"Oh, well good," Calleigh enthused brightly, "you can meet us there then. You know maybe I could even talk Horatio into it, can you picture him on a roller coaster?"

Ridley gave a small smile at that and shook her head.

"Great, now will you come back in, I've got more news for you about the case, our bride case."

"Oh?"

Calleigh nodded with a more serious expression. "That scythe our suspect was carrying, he left it at the scene, a couple of people were messing around with it at the wedding, he probably abandoned it to lead Mrs Silver off or it got snatched. Sadly it means it was covered in prints but you know, it's not your average plastic prop, it's a little more impressive than that. I think this idea that he collects rare artefacts has a lot of potential and Speed had a hit with the lock on the chest, manufactured by _Grebbs and Co_, it's not that common a lock, although there are at least six locksmiths in the city that stock it, but still, it's a lead. He sourced the mirror in New York and the clown statue in Miami, he's getting these items from places local to him and I suspect the scythe will be the same, and the scimitar he created the slasher smiles with."

"He stole the clown statue," Ridley murmured, "he or they." She looked up at Calleigh with a sombre expression. "There's more than one person I'm convinced of it, there has to be."

"Two maybe," Calleigh agreed, "could have been more than one guy at the wedding, with all those disguises it's hard to tell, I mean you narrowing it to the Grim Reaper was lucky."

"No," Ridley shook her head firmly, "it's what he wanted."

Calleigh reached out and squeezed her left shoulder gently. "Ridley, don't think like that, you have every right to be scared but don't let him or them have that kind of control. We're get closer, I know it," she said confidently, "he left a hair on Mrs Silver and DNA, which matches the DNA on Detective Silver and the Kinskeys' teddy bear, and we're still looking into the slasher smile victims, they were led off by someone, someone they trusted, people have been talking about a man they were with, unfortunately their accounts aren't great but it's something, late twenties, early thirties with brown hair, maybe brown like the one found on Mrs Silver and Speed's looking into all the cars filmed visiting Creek Storage the whole month before the clown statue appeared in the Kinskey house. It's tedious but we might get somewhere with it."

"Yeah," Ridley replied a little happier, "we will." She gave Calleigh a small smile, glad that she had the blonde on her side and grateful that her merry nature was infectious.

"Great, now let's go back to the guys."

They stood up and headed back to the office. Ridley wondered why Speed was looking at her as if expecting another verbal assault and then seemed strangely relieved when she merely gave a brief apology for her outburst to Eric who waved off the apology with a reassuring smile, which widened when Calleigh grinned at him approvingly.

* * *

_I know I'm teasing you guys and our CSI guys with all these potential leads, see I want the story to last because I have lots to include in it and I want it to be slightly realistic in that not every case in the real world is solved in a day, in fact a lot of serial killers seem to go on for years (don't worry this fic won't last years!) but at the same time I want to keep the story moving and evolving and don't want to drag it out to the point that our CSIs seems incompetent, so it's hard to balance. I hope I'm doing a good job with it though!_

_Yay Megan! Remember her? 12 episodes, wasn't in the CSI pilot, and then poof. I neither liked nor disliked her, she just always seemed angry but I guess that was her character suffering and struggling with her husband's death, I always felt there was a potential for her and Speed, it was hard to tell though as she was her mentor and she shrugged off his attempts at closeness, literally shrugged off his hand in one episode and didn't even respond when he asked if she had missed him, but then again maybe their relationship was just professional and he respected her as his mentor and nothing more._

_Poor Speed didn't last much longer mind :-( I still haven't gotten to Ryan's episodes, I hope he's a good character!_

_Also, I know a lot of you are looking for some EC action, so...carnival date! :-) _


	13. Chapter 13- Team Building

Ridley couldn't hide the awkwardness she felt when she opened the door to Will and Brian. Will looked at her hopefully with his baby blue eyes and commented teasingly, "third time lucky?"

Ridley took a moment to get the joke and then was unsure whether it was an insult or an attempt to break the tension. She chose to give him the benefit of the doubt and forced herself to smile, he had only ever been nice to her and here he was, willing to go out in her company again despite her having abandoned him twice. "Come in," she insisted as she stepped back from the doorway, "Ruby's almost ready."

Ridley hastened off to Ruby's bedroom where her friend was changing her top for the fourth time. "Will and Brian are here," Ridley informed her, "and you look great in everything so stop changing."

"I know," Ruby murmured, "but it's a warm night but it's autumn so it might get cold so I should bring a coat but what if it doesn't, I don't want to have to carry my coat." She gave Ridley a taunting smirk. "We can't all rely on guys donating their shirts to us yet."

Ridley frowned at the accusation. "I keep telling you Ruby I haven't slept with him since that night and he has a girlfriend...sort of," she added lamely. She had no idea who or what Pam was and was not eager to find out.

"Uh huh, well I noticed his shirt is still in your room," Ruby pointed out lightly as she tugged out a red sequined, sleeveless vest top along with a pair of pale blue, skinny, denim jeans.

"I have to wash it," Ridley grumbled. "Anyway, who are we waiting for? Melissa? Sandy?"

"Nah, they all cancelled," Ruby retorted carelessly as she tugged on a pair of soft, tan ankle boots, "it's just us tonight."

Ridley folded her arms and frowned at her friend. "Sheesh Ruby it wouldn't take a detective to work out you planned this," she accused dryly. "Another double date?" She filled with dread at the thought.

"Hey," Ruby protested as she looked at Ridley sternly, "you've blown off Will twice now but he's still interested, I mean come on, he's gorgeous, smart and totally into you, stop being stupid. That Speedle guy looks like he doesn't wash and would be better suited in a band than chasing criminals, I beat he was a stoner in college, come on Ridley, give Will a proper chance, you deserve to be happy with someone nice and totally hot."

"Ruby I'm not in Miami to date," Ridley murmured.

"No, but you are still allowed to date you know, I can't imagine poser cop forbid you to, unless he did" she commented excitedly with a smile, "because he finds it hard to date because he's ginger."

"Ruby!" Ridley protested in mock horror as she smiled despite herself. "You're a redhead too you know!"

"Yes but one, it's red hair not ginger, two, I'm a lot cuter and three, guy's got an attitude problem."

Ridley sighed. "I don't know, the way you go on about him I'm starting to think you have a crush," Ridley joked.

"Eww! Don't even!" Ruby pouted before she flicked back her short hair and pushed Ridley out of her room. "Now come on, a couple of drinks then it's carnival time! I'm definitely getting you and Will on the Tunnel of Love."

"Ruby," Ridley said sternly as she looked back at her friend disapprovingly, "I'm only going because you insisted, remember? No rides."

Ruby put her hands on her slender hips and pouted at her friend. "I didn't think you were serious about that, how can you not like rides? Not even the swings or the spinners?"

"No rides," Ridley repeated firmly, "hey I'll play the ducks and the hammer machine if you want but that's about it, I hate rides."

"All rides?" Ruby shook her head. "I don't believe it, I won't believe it. I think some wine might help with your fear, come on, one glass before we go."

Ruby pushed Ridley down the corridor to where Brian and Will were sitting around the coffee table. Brian immediately jumped up, hastened to Ruby and picked her up by her waist before spinning her around with an appreciative whistle. "Don't you look gorgeous," he teased before setting her down and leaning in for a kiss.

Ruby met his kiss before letting out a giggle and then gesturing to Ridley with one hand. "And what about Ridley?"

"Well of course," Brian said as he winked at Ridley before grinning back at Ruby. He leaned into her and whispered conspiringly, "but it's Will's job to tell her that tonight."

Ruby nodded as she giggled again.

"I think you look pretty," Will commented lamely.

Ridley gave him a feigned smile before murmuring, "thanks." She was wearing a pleated, brown, grey and black tartan skirt that almost reached her knees, a long sleeved, thin, lacy, white shirt with a thin, black bow below the collar, a bold, red blazer that seemed to tie the whole look together and black, ankle boots with tall, thin heels.

"Right, drinks," Ruby spoke up brightly as she hastened to her fridge. "Brian get the glasses."

* * *

Lights, music, cheap thrills, laughter, mock screams, numerous chatter and an air full of the smells of popcorn, candyfloss, chocolate, sweet drinks, sneaked in alcohol, smoke and vomit. Calleigh Duquesne was loving every moment of it whilst Timothy Speedle was very much not.

"Oh my gosh this was a great idea Eric!" Calleigh enthused as she clapped her hands in delight and grinned at her companion.

Eric grinned back at Calleigh happily and replied jokingly, "well I was due."

"Yeah, I don't agree," Speed murmured as he looked at the crowds with a dour expression. "In fact, I might call it an early night."

Eric perked up at this but was quickly disappointed when Calleigh immediately protested. "Oh Speed you can't! Come on, we're never out like this! Is this because Pam didn't come?"

"Pam wasn't invited," Speed retorted bluntly.

"Oh, touched a nerve there, sorry," the blonde replied hastily. "Well come on, it's team building," she enthused.

"Yeah but three's a crowd," Speed murmured as he glanced at the rides with displeasure, "besides those rusty, old contraptions are only for two at a time and even that's probably pushing it, those roller coasters don't look like they can hold that much weight."

"Well Ridley's meant to be out tonight too with her friend," Calleigh remarked cheerfully, "we should find her and then we won't be a three."

Eric inwardly groaned and Speed glimpsed his disappointment before he masked it. "I don't know, wouldn't that be intruding on her fun?" he queried dryly. 'I wonder if Ridley even knows how to have fun at this point,' he thought darkly, 'all this stuff that's going on and she's at a carnival, either Ruby taught her to be human or she's cracked and lost her mind.'

"Not at all," Calleigh insisted, "Ridley and I arranged it. She's part of the team, remember? First though, I'd quite like to go on the spinners." She gestured to the large, round seats that were moving round and round on an automated belt.

"Not for me," Speed commented coolly, "but why don't you and Eric go?" He looked to Eric suggestively.

Eric gave his friend a look of gratitude before pouncing upon the idea. "Great idea," he enthused as he gripped Calleigh's right hand, "let's go Calleigh."

The blonde let out one of her contagious laughs before she started to run with Eric. Speed shook his head after them before following at a slower pace. 'How can she not notice the way he looks at her?' he pondered sardonically. 'It's so damn obvious.'

As they sat down on the ride, side by side Eric felt a rush of adrenaline; her body was warm pressed against his and her shirt soft against his bare arm. He grinned at her, appreciating how beautiful she looked tonight. Clad in jeans, a pink shirt and low heeled, black shoes, Calleigh thought she was being casual for the evening but Eric thought she looked stunning. He had made an effort, a subtle one he hoped, but something that impressed. Of course compared to Speed in his scruffy jeans, loose t-shirt and wrinkled, black shirt it wasn't hard to look stylish.

"So what happened with Pam?" Calleigh queried curiously. "I hope I didn't offend him with that."

"Nah," Eric retorted with a shake of his head as the ride attendant checked the metal bar over them. "It was never serious and after he left her on Halloween night that was it."

"He left her?" Calleigh queried in surprise. "Oh wait, is this to do with him getting punched in the nose?"

Eric laughed at that. "I don't know, I've been wondering about that."

"What do you mean?" Calleigh pried. "What happened?"

Eric grinned at her teasingly and retorted, "what happened to not gossiping about colleagues?"

Calleigh slumped back in the seat with a frown. Eric immediately regretted his answer as part of her heat left him and the smell of oranges and wildflowers shampoo went with it. When she grinned again he relaxed a little. "You're right," she admitted, "it'd just be nice for Speed not to be careless for a change, I mean he doesn't care about anyone or anything does he? Alright he likes us but he's so apathetic, he needs someone in his life."

Eric grinned at this and murmured, "well never say never, he left Pam to go after Ridley that night, I'm certain of it."

"Wow what?"

Before Eric could say anymore the ride started up and suddenly they were spinning around, giggling along with the other people on the ride as music started to play. Eric was certain he blushed when the ride grew faster and Calleigh suddenly seized his hand and let out a 'whoop' of delight. It was a cliché but he suddenly didn't want the moment to end. This was the closest he had ever gotten to the woman; it was perfect except she was completely unaware. He squeezed her hand back hoping to convey some sort of sign with it but she only giggled and attempted to smile at him but her face was obscured by her golden hair. Eric mentally cursed as he was unable to read her expression, was she showing something in her stare? Some acknowledgement of his hand squeezing? He couldn't know, everything was a blur.

When the ride finally ended Calleigh broke from Eric's grasp with a laugh and hurried off, missing his look of dismay. "We've got to get Speed on the next ride," she said firmly, "he might actually give us a smile." She paused when she was unable to spot Speed in the crowd of people waiting at the front of their ride either for their friends coming off or to get on. She placed her hands on her hips and scowled. "Darn it he didn't sneak of did he? I want to ask him about Ridley." She looked to Eric who looked back helplessly trying hard to hide the fact that he secretly hoped Speed had left. "You know I asked Ridley about it but she denied it," she frowned a little, "maybe because I sounded disapproving of it."

"Of what?"

Calleigh turned with a smile to face the still grim faced Speed. "I thought you'd gone!"

"I wanted to," he confessed as he felt Eric's annoyed stare on him from behind the blonde, "but I didn't think you would let me hear the end of it if I did leave."

"You've got that right," Calleigh said seriously, "and you owe me a night of fun, I mean you misplaced my camera's memory card, and you borrowed my crime light and forgot to recharge it."

"Okay," Speed held up his hands defensively, "I get the picture Calleigh. A night of fun, a bit hard in this place but I'll try."

Calleigh giggled at his unimpressed expression. "Maybe you'll try harder when we find Ridley," she dared to tease.

"What?" Speed blinked at her confusion.

"So what's next?" Eric piped up. He spied the shooting ducks game and looked to Calleigh hopefully. "Fancy a challenge?" he queried mockingly.

"Like what?" Calleigh replied as she gave him a competitive glance.

"Shooting ducks," Eric suggested as he gestured to the stand, "we know you're good in the lab but this is completely different, I bet I can beat you at it."

"You're on mister," Calleigh retorted brightly, "lead the way."

Eric led the way over to the stands past small groups of half-drunk college students, families, high school students on nervous dates, and young adults like them just trying to let off steam.

Speed deliberately loitered behind and shook his head when Calleigh looked his way challengingly. "It's not a night of fun if you don't make an effort," Calleigh scorned him.

"I'm making an effort not to curse at people who keep bumping into me, that has to count," Speed retorted defensively as he narrowly avoided a woman too busy texting on her phone to pay attention where she was walking.

Eric purchased a go for himself and for Calleigh from the middle aged, pot bellied vendor. Calleigh and Eric stepped up to the mock rifles side by side and took aim. Once the alarm went Calleigh was unstoppable, Eric made a good effort, certainly better than the other four players near them but it was clear that the blonde had skills. When the alarm finished the end even the guy at the counter looked impressed as he scratched his balding head in confusion before counting up Calleigh's downed ducks and gesturing up to the large prizes.

Calleigh grinned at Eric and said cheerfully, "you're going to be the one carrying it, loser's burden, so what would you like?"

Eric knew he should be embarrassed since he hadn't won the prize for the girl as planned but he had been expecting it, Calleigh was a guns expert, she knew most weapons inside out even supposedly rigged rifles, he would have been shocked if she hadn't beat him. So, he accepted his lose amicably and gestured up to a large, white rabbit teddy.

Calleigh nodded at the vendor and he tugged it down and handed it to Eric.

Ten minutes later and Speed found the teddy shoved into his hands as Eric and Calleigh queued up for the swinging boat ride. The dark haired male looked down at the teddy with a frown, glaring at its glassy black eyes. "Why the hell do women like these things?" he pondered dryly.

He looked up from the toy sharply when he heard what sounded like yelling.

It was hardly unusual in a carnival but there was something off about it, he realised his instincts were telling him that it was a yell of genuine distress. He glanced about the place curiously but no one seemed to be panicking or reacting to the sounds. Over all the other noises of the place it was hard to pinpoint but then he spotted the queue for the roller coaster and realised the people in the queue all seemed to be looking at the same spot.

Speed realised he wasn't on duty and didn't have to care but he found himself moving towards the sound anyway, if only for something to do while Calleigh and Eric got on another ride. He found himself stopped by the queue of people for the roller coaster and realised that the voice yelling was familiar.

"I don't want to go on! I told you! Let me off! Let me off!"

"Is she alright?"

"She's fine, roller coasters scare her but I swear once she's on it'll be fine."

"Let me off! Fuck let me off!"

Speed managed to elbow his way through the crowd in time to witness the scene taking place.

Ridley was in one of the seats jerking and shaking at the U shaped seat fastener about her shoulders frantically. Beside her was the brown haired guy from last night, who had been glaring at Speed.

"Can you not hear me? Let me the fuck off!" Ridley screeched.

The spotty young male running the ride, sighed heavily and hit a button that released the seat holders drawing several groans, yells and curses of complaint.

The brown haired male muttered a curse and rolled his eyes. "You're just screaming for attention," he grumbled before he stood up to let her off.

Ridley scrambled out of the ride frantically, stumbling up behind him as she almost tripped over the seat. "You fucking asshole!" she shrieked at him before kicking him hard in the rear.

The man turned to retaliate, causing Speed to grip his hands on the metal fence as he contemplated interfering but then Ridley responded by dealing the man a hand punch to the face.

Speed winced a little as his own nose burned in sympathy; he knew first hand just how powerful that fist could be when one wasn't ready for it. When Ridley stormed off, Speed battled through the crowd once more to follow her. When he reached her he grabbed her left hand, earning a startled look in response.

Ridley's surprised faded into embarrassment as she wondered how much Tim had witnessed but before she could say anything he started to tug her away. "Let's get out of here," he grumbled as he pulled her through the gawking queue and away from the ride. He looked about hastily for a secluded spot before tugging her over to the overfilled bins, the smell was atrocious but at least no one else wanted to linger near them.

The dark haired male looked at the quivering woman sympathetically before querying sardonically, "so you really don't like roller coasters huh?"

"I...he pushed me on," she rambled, "thought it would be funny or something. He held me down, I couldn't move, I was trapped, couldn't move, couldn't escape."

Speed gave her an odd look before saying quietly, "it's okay Ridley, you're off it now."

She shook her head wildly and stammered, "all my training and it doesn't matter, he dragged me on and pushed me down and I couldn't stop it. I hate it, I hate the way you're stuck, restrained, it's horrible!"

Speed nodded though he hadn't a clue what she was talking about. Seeing the tears running down her cheeks made him feel bad enough to release her hand and instead put his loosely on her shoulder. "It's over now," he said seriously. "Look, it was just a ride and he's just an asshole."

Ridley shook her head apologetically and began rubbing at her eyes with her free hand. "I should go," she mumbled, "this wasn't a good idea."

"No," Speed protested, "you should stay, where's Ruby?"

"Off with Brian," Ridley murmured wearily, "she had this idea that...well it doesn't matter, she wants to be alone with Brian."

"Well I know for a fact Calleigh's been looking forward to seeing you here all night," Speed informed her.

"I...really?" Ridley's eyes seemed to brighten a little.

Speed nodded. "Yep, she's mentioned it several times so come on, have fun with us. Although I do agree with you that trying to have fun in a hellhole like this is going to be difficult but I did promise Calleigh a night of fun."

"Really, why?" Ridley queried as she almost smiled.

"I might have misplaced her memory card and forgotten to charge her crime light," he retorted quietly.

"Might have?" Ridley repeated with a quizzical look.

"Well alright, I did. Anyway, they're over there." He gestured to the boat ride, which was slowing down.

"Okay. Did you win that bunny for Pam? It's cute," Ridley attempted some sort of normal conversation as she gestured to the rabbit with one hand. Inside she was humiliated, scared and desperate just to run away and didn't think she was capable of having a good time but she thought of Calleigh's bubbly smile and knew she didn't want to disappoint her by darting off without saying hello.

"What?" Speed glanced down at the rabbit in his left hand. "Oh right, this thing, no Calleigh won it for Eric. Pam's not here, we're not seeing each other anymore." He wasn't entirely sure why he bothered to add that, what business was it of Ridley's?

"Oh right."

'Oh right?' Speed thought sarcastically. 'What does 'oh right' mean exactly?' He squeezed her shoulder again before releasing it and turning to the boat ride. "Let's go." He wanted to ask her why she had been freaking out so badly and wondered if it was just a build up of stress, fear and tiredness or if it was connected to Felicity. She had said people in chains at the haunted house had reminded her of Felicity's torment now here she was screaming about being trapped, unable to move. 'Like a person in chains,' he thought darkly, 'but why does that make Ridley freak out so much? It happened to Felicity...' He trailed off deciding that it was better not pushing the matter, he did not want her crying about it when she should be having fun.

"Ridley!" Calleigh let out a cry of delight before hurrying over to the younger detective. "Hey you found her!" She looked at Speed with a teasing smile and winked, which caused him to look baffled.

"Good," Eric spoke up brightly, "but where are you friends?" He was hoping that Ridley wasn't going to suggest bringing them over or running back to them, just her was great, that made them even numbers, which meant he could keep pairing up with Calleigh without her worrying about Speed.

"Gone for the night," Speed answered flatly as he saw Ridley hesitate.

"Well that's a shame," Calleigh murmured, "although their loss is our gain. You're staying out right?" She looked at Ridley hopefully.

Ridley had been considering a quick 'hi and bye' but Calleigh's look made her hesitate.

"Course she is," Speed answered for her, "I need someone to stand with me while you guys go on those dumb and dangerous rides."

Ridley glanced up at Speed gratefully whilst the blonde quipped in disbelief, "you don't hate rides too, do you?"

Ridley nodded as she resisted a reply, fearing it might only be a jumble of words the blonde wouldn't understand.

"All of them?" Calleigh questioned as her blue eyes widened in shock.

"More or less," Ridley mumbled.

"Wait so there are some you like?" Calleigh pressed for information. "Come on, there has to be."

"The carousel," Ridley confessed, giving Eric a mock look of offence when he started laughing at her.

"What?" Eric taunted. "That's for kids."

"Uh uh," Calleigh argued as she grinned at him, "there's one right here that has plenty of adults on it. Shall we look for it?" She smiled at Ridley eagerly.

Ridley shook her head. "Um not just yet," she murmured.

Calleigh took in how Ridley was paler than usual and her eyes reddened at the lids, there was every indication there that she had been crying but the blonde knew better than to ask. She did not want to treat Ridley like a case the way Horatio did and whatever the issue was it hadn't upset her enough to turn Speed down and simply avoid meeting Calleigh and Eric.

"Hey Delko do you want your bunny back?" Speed queried mockingly as he thrust the rabbit out at his friend. "Now you have something other than your porn to take to bed with you," he taunted.

Eric scowled at the joke whilst Calleigh laughed and Ridley smiled. "You're the one who can't keep a girlfriend," Eric ridiculed, "why don't you keep it for company?"

"It was a gift to you," Speed reminded him with a sly smile, "you wouldn't want to offend Calleigh's feelings now, would you?"

Eric gave him a look of irritation before he accepted the rabbit reluctantly. He then looked to Ridley with a small grin and asked, "hey Ridley any urban legends attached to carnivals?"

Calleigh let out a groan. "Don't mind him," she said as she gave Ridley an apologetic look, "he's starting to get obsessed with these urban legends." She turned to Eric with put on scorn. "Come on Eric, no business tonight."

"It's alright," Ridley retorted, "I know of a few, people losing fingers on rides, real bodies being used on horror rides, and the most gruesome one of all."

"Yes?" Eric queried eagerly as he, Calleigh and Speed all looked at Ridley with intrigue.

"Apparently candy floss is dyed pink with pigs' blood," she informed them calmly.

"Ew!" Calleigh exclaimed whilst Speed shook his head chidingly and Eric laughed.

"No way, you made that up!" Eric accused. "I wanted some too but now..."

"Just get the white one and you'll be safe," Ridley teased.

"Gross," Calleigh made a face before gesturing towards 'The Hall of Mirrors' excitedly. "Oh let's go to that one!" she cried out enthusiastically.

As the night wore on Calleigh and Eric went on several more rides together, each time Eric was certain Calleigh held on to his hand longer and longer and kept taking chances to look his way. Even when she commented about Speed and Ridley he was certain she was just trying to avoid talking about something else. It was like she wanted to say something but then became embarrassed so she babbled about them instead.

Ridley seemed to relax as they moved from attraction to attraction and even participated in some of the games with Calleigh, both of them choosing to ignore Speed pointing out how scientifically they couldn't win.

When they finally reached the carousel Calleigh turned to Speed with a mischievous grin. "You promised you would make the night fun," she said accusingly.

"And?" he queried dryly, knowing he wasn't going to like the answer.

"And I want to see you up on one of those horses, otherwise it's not fun."

Eric burst out laughing, his laughter getting louder when he saw Speed's unimpressed stare. "No way in Hell," Speed answered flatly, sounding out each word carefully.

"Then it's not fun Speed," Calleigh said as she folded her arms and looked at him sternly, "and you owe me a memory card and a recharged crime light, you're not in a position to argue."

"It's not happening."

"Look we'll all go," Calleigh remarked cheerfully as she looked to Eric eagerly. "Come on Speed, it's the only ride Ridley's willing to go on and this is a team building night."

"Team building?" Speed retorted stonily. "Doesn't work without the boss does it?"

"It's okay," Ridley said quietly, "I don't feel like it anyway." Her look of awe at the ride suggested otherwise. It had three rows of horses, the outer two all huge and evidently for adults and the inner ring smaller models for children. The ride was lit up with hundreds of golden fairy lights and the top of it had paintings around it of flying horses and unicorns, everything about it just looked magical.

"No chance," Calleigh snapped firmly, "this is the only ride you are willing to go on, so we're going on it, all of us," she added with a glare at Speed, "and it's going to be magical and whimsical."

Eric laughed again. "Magical and whimsical, you heard the woman Speed, get on the horse."

"This has got to count as bullying at work," Speed grumbled.

"We're not at work," the blonde reminded him.

"Yeah I know because if we were I'd have my gun and I would absolutely shoot my foot off to avoid this," Speed retorted in a deadpan manner.

"It's a carousel Speed not an enlistment for the army, it's not that bad," Calleigh chided him.

"It is, it's fairy lights, chirpy music and plastic horses, it's like the seventh circle of Hell."

"Really it's okay," Ridley murmured, "you and Eric go on, Calleigh."

Calleigh seized Speed's right hand and snapped, "Eric get his other hand he's going on, it'll be good for him."

Eric obeyed though he knew Speed would make him regret it for a good few months. Calleigh's pleased smile automatically made it worth Speed's wrath however.

"Ridley start pushing," Calleigh commanded.

Ridley smiled though she didn't help, merely followed behind the cursing dark haired male as he was physically dragged towards the carousel.

"Oh look they have names!" Eric cried out in mirth. "I've found yours right here," he said as he grinned widely at Speed, his amusement clear on his face, "Stormy, suits you."

"Oh look," Calleigh said as she released Speed's hand and clapped her own hands together, "Buttercup, that's lovely."

"You should run Tim," Ridley advised Speed with a small smile, "while you've got the chance."

Speed was contemplating it but he could see Ridley looking about with an odd glance of wonderment and joy. "And miss Delko on a carousel? Nah, I'm here now and five minutes of Hell might be worth a month of favours from him." He turned a glower on Eric. "And you will owe me a month of favours for this shit."

"Climb up on Stormy and be quiet," Eric joked as he climbed up onto a blue horse beside Calleigh's caramel coloured one. "I don't think I've ever been on one of these before," he admitted.

"Good choice with the carousel Ridley!" Calleigh called as she smiled back at the brunette. "Eric gets a new experience and Speed is forced to experience fun, win, win."

Ridley smiled back before turning to the white horse beside the one Eric had picked out for Speed. She glanced back at the dark haired man shyly and confessed, "I used to go on these all the time in college, there was one at a park nearby."

"I don't really get the appeal," he retorted as he looked about dubiously.

Ridley climbed onto hers and Speed hopped up on his in such an awkward and uncomfortable fashion that Ridley couldn't resist laughing. "I'm sorry," she choked out through her laughter, "but you really made that look difficult."

"Maybe I don't like horses," he grumbled.

"Want me to hold your hand in case you fall off?" she queried teasingly.

Speed was pleased to see the warm smile on her face, throughout the evening he had wondered if she was going to enjoy herself after the shit that brown haired man had put her through, now he could see she was happy tonight and thought privately that maybe it was worth five minutes of humiliation. "Sure why not?" He extended out his hand to his surprise and hers.

Ridley accepted it, blushing faintly when Calleigh glanced back and saw their linked hands. "Good idea," she chirped brightly. "Hey Eric, hold my hand in case my horse tries to run on ahead," she joked as she held out her hand.

Eric accepted her slender palm eagerly and found himself blushing deeper than Ridley when Calleigh looked his way with a tender smile and squeezed his hand gently before dipping her head demurely as her smile widened.

Speed glanced at Ridley's skirt as she smoothed it out with her free hand. He shook his head scornfully at her and commented, "you never dress right do you?"

"Where's the fun in that?" she retorted merrily as the ride started up. It was odd but Speed scorning her dress sense sounded a lot better than Will's feeble attempt to compliment it.

"And the music is worse than I realised," Speed grumbled. "Eric make that two months!" he called over the horribly happy and mechanical tune that tinkled down at them.

"Hey Tim."

"What?" Speed looked over at Ridley, his brown eyes widening and his frown deepening when he saw the camera in her hands that she had plucked out of bag.

"Say revenge," she called cheerfully before the flash went off.

* * *

Eric couldn't believe it, not only had he effectively been holding hands with Calleigh for most of the night but now here they were looking at the full moon hovering above the black waves of the sea and it was almost romantic.

Calleigh turned to her left to look at Ridley and queried, "do you take many photos Ridley?"

"I used to," Ridley commented wistfully, "it was a hobby of mine, people, places, animals, I just loved taking photos." She had ended up taking several in the carnival on and after the carousel, including one of Calleigh and Eric hand in hand on the horses, Calleigh beaming back at her like they were at the best place in the world.

"Why did you give it up?" Eric pried as he leaned forward to look at Ridley past Calleigh.

They all sat side by side in the sand, a low hill of sand and wild grass at their backs leading up to the main path. As it was Miami and the city never slept they were several people walking past on the sidewalk and a few people laughing and running along the sand under the silvery white moonlight.

She shrugged and admitted, "when the death count started rising in the urban legends case and we kept failing to get the guy I felt like I wasn't devoting enough time to the case and that if I was doing something else I was wasting precious time."

"You're too hard on yourself," Eric protested, "we're all still human, we are all entitled to time to rest, recharge and forget, we need it. I mean I know what happened with Detective Silver and your friend was rough but you can't keep beating yourself up over it."

"My friend?" Ridley repeated as she blinked at him in confusion.

Speed pressed back into his palms in the sand, turned his head up to the clear starry sky and muttered, "Delko you idiot."

"Wait," Ridley's head snapped round to her left to glare at Speed, "you told them?"

Her tone sounded so hurt Speed couldn't help but feel guilty. "I..."

"How could you do that?" Ridley cried out, her voice rising an octave as she did. "Does Horatio know too? I trusted you Tim, that was personal!" She stood up suddenly and walked off.

"Shit," Speed cursed as he turned to Eric. "Thanks a lot," he grumbled at his friend.

"It wasn't his fault," Calleigh defended, "you shouldn't have told us. Now go after her Speed."

Speed shook his head and hastened to his feet. "Ridley wait!" he called as he hurried up the beach, cursing as his quick movement caused his socks to instantly become full of tiny, irritating grains. It didn't take long for him to catch up to her; her boots were unsurprisingly completely impractical for the beach. He grabbed her by her right arm and let out a curse when she kicked him hard in the shin. "Holy shit!" he wailed as he doubled over in pain. "Why do you have to use violence?"

"Why did you tell?" she snarled at him. Her eyes were damp with tears again but full of fury and worry too.

"I was defending you," Speed choked out between his gasps of pain. "I didn't mean to...well I don't know, I mean it was awful what happened to your friend but why shouldn't they know? Anyway," he added hastily when he saw her eyes narrow in rage, "Eric thought you were snapping over Claire for no reason, he thought you had lost it, I had to say something."

"Why?" she demanded angrily. "You called me names with Eric," she reminded him savagely.

"I know," he confessed, "and Calleigh made me feel bad about it. Look Ridley I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to talk about you I just wanted Eric and the others to understand that you weren't losing it."

She shook her head and shrugged his hand off. "I didn't want him to know," she said quietly.

"Him?" Speed echoed.

"Them," she retorted heatedly. "I shouldn't have told you."

"Hey I'm sorry," he said, trying hard not to sound angry as his shin throbbed, "but what happened to your friend is still affecting you, at the house party and tonight with the roller coaster, it's not healthy Ridley. Eric's right, you're too hard on yourself, I know you can't forget what happened to your friend but you need to move on, burdening yourself with it won't help."

She nodded dismissively and hugged herself loosely, looking for a moment like a scared, lost child. "I should go," she murmured.

"Don't fall out with me again," he retorted warningly.

"I'm not!" she snapped defensively as her eyes blazed with anger once more. "I'm not," she repeated softly and a little more convincingly, "it's late and Ruby's already mad at me, I don't want to make her worse by waking her at all hours when I head home."

"She shouldn't be mad at you," Speed scorned.

* * *

_Because the idea of these guys on a carousel was too hard to resist :-)_

"She doesn't know what happened," Ridley said softly, "I'll try and explain tomorrow."

"Okay, well at least let's say goodbye to Calleigh and Eric before we go so Calleigh doesn't fall out with me either."

"Let's?" Ridley echoed.

"Obviously I'm not letting you head home on your own at two in the morning," he said dryly.

"Right." Ridley gave a faint half smile before following him back to Calleigh and Eric.

The pair paused awkwardly when they saw the silhouettes of two people on the sand sharing a soft, deep kiss.

"I'll...I'll send Eric a text," Speed murmured sheepishly.

"Good idea."

The pair departed from the beach leaving their oblivious friends behind to enjoy their intimate moment in private.


	14. Chapter 14- Lights Out

Ridley paused outside the door to Ruby's flat and turned to Tim, he was standing back, hands in his pockets, ready to make a brief goodbye and return to the taxi. Ridley glanced briefly at the watch on her left wrist, through its stained face she made out that it was almost half three.

"You need a new watch," Tim observed dryly.

The brown strap had almost worn away and bore a few minor stains. Ridley gave him a small smile as she dropped her wrist. "Yeah I do," she admitted.

"Are you sure you want to stay here?" he quipped calmly. There was no suggestion in his words and Ridley knew better than to wonder if he was hinting at something. He was simply referring to the fact that it was late and Ruby was already mad at her without needing to be further infuriated by being woken up at all hours.

"It's okay," she retorted gently, "Ruby texted me about twenty minutes ago warning me she had company, so she'll be okay so long as I don't disturb. I'll explain things to her tomorrow, she'll understand."

"Right. Well good night then, or morning. Oh and I'm going to have my camera next time, two revenge photos is just playing dirty."

Ridley's smile widened as she stifled a soft giggle. Speed was surprised to hide it and couldn't mask his shock; it was so unlike Ridley to just be happy. "The noodles looked much better dangling out of your mouth than mine," she retorted teasingly.

Speed tugged his hands out of his pockets and stepped up to her. "That right?" he quipped sardonically. Under the harsh, flickering glow of Ruby's fly stained door light Ridley looked wan and tired but she looked relaxed too, more so than Speed had ever seen her, the tension in her shoulders was gone and there was a small spark in her eyes, a light that he had glimpsed briefly on Halloween. 'Ridley before the carnage,' he thought cynically though there was a hint of pity for her, 'Ridley before a serial killer turned her into a scapegoat for the NYPD and a hate figure for half of New York.'

She nodded and then murmured softly, "thanks."

"For what?" He looked at her in genuine confusion.

"For not asking too many questions about my freak outs on the roller coaster and the beach, for being there when I did get off the roller coaster whether it was intentional or not, for letting me hang out with you guys, for reminding me what it was like to...well to have good workmates and fun, and yeah I owe Calleigh and Eric a big thanks for that too, and for the noodles after the carnival, and for bringing me back to Ruby's."

Speed bowed his head slightly, he knew this was the moment to walk away, call it an evening and hopefully resume normality tomorrow, or later on in the day rather. If he walked away now it would be fine, no more awkwardness hopefully but it was too easy.

Ridley's brown-grey eyes went wide when he pressed his lips against hers briefly. It was nothing like before, rough, angry and needy, or sloppy, reluctant and drunk, a response to her own sudden desperate kiss in the nightclub. This was different but it ended too quickly for Ridley to figure out why.

"Night," he murmured with a half smile before he turned away from her and hastened down the concrete steps to the taxi and its ever running meter.

Ridley felt her cheeks burn slightly as she stood there stunned for a moment until she heard a car door shut and the grumble of an engine pushed into action by an impatient taxi driver's foot. She turned then, unlocked the door and slipped into the house slowly, reaching for the main light immediately.

She sagged slightly in relief when no surprises were revealed, shut the door and relocked it. She then headed into the kitchen area to grab a glass of orange juice, pausing when she saw a plate of half-eaten cookies sitting there, her favourite too- white chocolate chip buttermilk cookies. She knelt down to the fridge, tugged out the carton, lifted down a clean glass from the cupboard and poured herself a glass before the cookies caught her eye again. She returned the orange juice to the fridge and then snapped up a cookie, one couldn't hurt and Ruby wouldn't know. Ridley considered that maybe her friend had even left the cookies out as a peace offering, after all Ruby knew all too well how Ridley couldn't go to bed without a glass of pure, smooth orange juice and a small snack. It was unhealthy but making a living chasing serial killers was hardly a good way to live either.

Ridley headed to the hall, flicking on the light there before knocking off the living room light with her elbow. She paused, sat the glass and cookie down on a table and tugged off her boots, the last thing she needed was Ruby coming to give off about the sound of high heels. Softly she crept up the corridor, hesitating outside Ruby's door, she felt bad about the evening, she had effectively blown Ruby off but then again Ruby had left her with a creep, though she couldn't have known that. She contemplated knocking the door and risking Ruby's wrath but then a low moan made her think again. A louder grunt ensured that Ridley was definitely not knocking that door. Gathering that Ruby and Brian were in full swing, she hastened up the corridor to her own quarters.

She flicked on the bedroom light and then reluctantly knocked off the hall light. Ridley loathed having the hall light off, it gave intruders cover right up to the bedroom door but she had to respect that it disturbed Ruby's sleep and this was Ruby's house. She reasoned with herself, as she did every night here, that an intruder was unlikely and it wasn't like she had had any in New York. Justin had always jested to Ridley that it was her hall light that kept all the petty thieves of the city at bay.

She sighed as she sat down the glass and cookie and stripped for bed. When would the pain end? Would it ever end? For her? For Ellie? For Don? For anyone dragged into this mess? She frowned as she tugged out a pair of shorts and a vest top before her eyes glimpsed the crumpled blue shirt on the end of the bed. She plucked it up, lifting it close to her nose; it smelt of sea salt, palm trees and that particular scent that was just Tim, the leather of his many camera straps and cases, that chestnut like aftershave he wore, and a faint hint of takeaway food that suggested he didn't wash his clothes as often as he should. It was comforting, probably more than it should have been but right now Ridley didn't care, right now she wanted comforting so she slung the shirt on and climbed into the bed. Just under two weeks, that's all she had left before the next kill was due. It was terrible how her moments of peace were measured in weeks now, if one could even call it peace.

She sipped at the orange juice and nibbled at the cookie tentatively, frowning when there were several loud bangs from the wall linking her room to Ruby's, a few poignant grunts and even some groans border lining on screams. Despite the noise exhaustion swept over her, sudden and unexpected, she found her head slumping back against the pillow and her eyelids too heavy to keep open. Sleep, she needed it but she dreaded it, sleep only brought nightmares. Moans...screams...definitely screams, so loud in her head...

"Ridley!" Screams. "Ridley keep fighting!"

She jolted awake at the voice, eyes wide, skin soaked in a thin sheen of sweat. Her head was pounding, she felt dizzy, every muscle felt stiff and heavy like iron, and her stomach was churning as a wave of nausea rushed through her. "Justin," she moaned weakly. It had been him, his voice screaming.

"Ridley!"

Not a dream.

"Your fault!"

"Justin," she tried to shout it out but her mouth felt like it was full of cotton balls. She wanted to spring up out of bed and find out what the hell was going on but she could only move slowly. 'What's going on?' she wondered in a daze.

"Your fault!"

His voice, definitely his voice but how? It couldn't be! Bump, bump, bump, her heart was beating rapidly, too quickly, her breaths were coming out short and sudden, she wasn't getting enough air. She began to feel dizzy as her vision flashed red and black and she knew she was in danger of passing out. 'Can't,' she thought frantically, 'something's wrong!'

"Ruby." Well it wasn't a moan, that was good but it wasn't a yell either. 'Push through it,' she thought fiercely, 'this must be sleep paralysis, a dream but not a dream. That's it, mind's awake, body's not, all a bad dream.'

"Ridley!" God he sounded so scared, and in so much pain. "Ridley!" The pause. "Your fault!"

Over and over and over. She shut her eyes tight. 'Focus!' She was shaking and tears were building. 'Focus!' She moved at last, sitting upright and reaching for a gun that wasn't there, instead her hand whacked the now empty glass to the floor carelessly.

It was dark, why was it dark? Her palm reached out frantically for the stem of the lamp and knocked the lamp to its side carelessly. She sucked in a deep breath and froze for a moment. 'Stop it!' she scorned herself. 'Get moving damn it!' She grabbed the stem, righted the lamp, flicked it on and gasped.

_Aren't you glad you didn't turn on the light? _It was on her wall in front of the bed above the bookshelf in a horrid reddish-brown smear that she feared was blood. She knew the urban legend only too well; it had to be blood but how? How had he been here?

Her breaths were getting short and fast again and her heart was pounding so hard she was certain her ribcage would break. "Ruby!" she shrieked out the name as she swung her legs round and suppressed a dizzy spell. She looked about the room in panic; her holster that hung on the bed post by her pillow was empty! He had come in and taken her gun! "Shit, shit, shit." She needed a weapon, something, anything! She stumbled to her feet, time, time was of the essence, it wasn't a pint of blood on the wall, Ruby could still be breathing! She snatched up one of her boots desperately, clinging to the heel and hurried from the room to the dark corridor.

She fumbled along the corridor for a light switch, pausing when she felt the wood of Ruby's door instead. She yanked down the handle, hit the light on and screamed.

* * *

Horatio didn't know how to react the call, for a moment he just stood still, numb and silent, ignoring the voice calling down the phone to him. Ruby Thibodeaux's residence, one victim and one potential witness who had gone from hysterics to an eerie silence, dragged from the scene by the police so the victim could be checked for life and abandoned in the living room under a suspicious observation by cops who didn't know her.

"Lieutenant you did say you wanted to know about these odder cases didn't you?" the male cop croaked down the phone to him awkwardly, undoubtedly terrified he had had woken the lieutenant for no good reason.

"Yes," Horatio answered carefully. "Keep everyone from tampering anymore with the scene," he instructed, "leave everything and everyone as they are until I arrive and start gathering a list of names and prints of people who have been in the house this morning. I will be on my way with my team."

"Yes lieutenant."

"And one more thing," he added coolly, "tell everyone to guard the survivor but keep their distance, she's one of ours, she doesn't need the third degree."

"Ones of ours?" the cop echoed in confusion.

"Yes," Horatio answered firmly before he snapped his phone shut.

First thing first, he had to get ready and get his thoughts into order; he couldn't disturb the others until he settled his own emotions. A curse escaped him before he hastened into his bathroom. Two weeks, they were meant to have two weeks! He thought of all the scant intel they had gathered, the best clues had come from the wedding where the killer had screwed up or rather been screwed over because another murder had unexpectedly happened. All his clever planning out the window and worse, others had almost gotten the credit and taken the glory for his murder. The story of another serial killing had warranted some merit from the press but only as the build up to the story of a murder plot concocted by the bridal party against the father of the bride in revenge for the rape of a bridesmaid, it was a story that had headlined every paper. Had he gotten mad? Been enraged like he had when he had killed Mary, or was it because Ridley had ignored his warning? First Justin, now Ruby, it was funny how Horatio knew the victim had to be Ruby and the survivor had to be Ridley, but somehow he did.

He splashed some water on his face, changed and hastened to his kitchen, dawn had broken and the sky was bloody with the mess of the sun's afterbirth on the clouds. He looked outside stoically, thinking how horribly appropriate it was as he slipped on his sunglasses. He had been contemplating confronting Ridley about Felicity today, his suspicions had gnawed at him all night and even now with this distraction he had to wonder.

He tugged out his phone and reluctantly dialled Calleigh. A sleepy mumble was his answer, normally that kind of reaction made him smile but his face remained grim and his tone firm as he said, "Calleigh we have a serious situation, 418b South Silverside Street, I need you, Eric and Speed there now. Our killer struck again."

"What?" she retorted, more alert this time. "It's only been three days."

"I know," Horatio answered coolly, "but this kill was a little more personal. Get down to the scene now, I will meet you there. Quickly Calleigh, we need to get this evidence as soon as we can. Call Eric, I'll call Speed." Horatio hung up the phone and headed outside to his car, the morning was mild, hinting at another warm, sunny Miami day despite it now being November.

The redhead dialled his traces expert as he started up his engine and was unsurprised when it rung off to voicemail. Speed wasn't one for allowing his phone to disturb his sleep, neither was Eric for that matter, in fact Horatio was fairly certain they both made extensive use of the silent button, unless Eric was expecting a girl to ring of course. Another curse escaped him, entirely out of character but it was all too appropriate. He linked his phone up to the car, pulled out of the drive and attempted to dial Speed again.

When Horatio arrived at the scene half the neighbourhood was out and he counted five police cars parked on both sides of the street, two with their lights still flashing. He abandoned his car behind one, stepped out, flashed his badge and hurried forward, nodding as cops hastened to have the crowds of gawking neighbours part for him before they waved him under the yellow tape blocking the main path leading up to the block of flats.

"Who called it in?" he demanded of the brunette female officer who scurried over to him.

"A neighbour who lives just across," she answered hastily as she pushed back her dark ponytail, "says she got up to let her cat out and heard screams."

"When was this?" Horatio snapped as he turned a sharp gaze on the cop through his tinted glasses.

"Four..." The officer paused as she fumbled for her notes under his glare and flickered through the notepad hastily. "Four fifty six," she answered quickly.

"And I didn't hear anything about this until nearly six," he grumbled as he thought several profanities. He reached the top of the stairs to find chaos. There was a middle aged, plump Cuban woman snapping at a tired looking male police officer who was trying to wave her back with both his palms and getting nowhere. Further down the left two vacant eyed, dark haired children were standing on the concrete floor in their night clothes trying to spy the scene. One police officer stood at the door, Horatio recognised him as Simon Hernades, the cop he had spoken to on the phone.

"Morning Lieutenant Caine," Simon greeted wearily. He was in his mid-thirties, half-Mexican with swarthy skin, short, jet black hair and a developing beard to match.

"Brief me on the scene," Horatio demanded as he stepped up to the door and tugged off his sunglasses.

"911 got a call around five a.m," Simon informed him crisply as he met Horatio's hardened blue stare with his own serious brown gaze, "a woman complaining about screams coming from her neighbour's. Officers Grey and Seraz answered the call, they were here at approximately a quarter past five, they say the door was unlocked so they entered and heard a woman screaming or crying. They followed the sound and found one woman covered in blood and on the corpse of another, shaking or cradling it, possibly both. They tugged her off to check for signs of life and called it in. When they found the sign they called it in too and I came."

"The sign?" Horatio echoed with an impatient look.

"Writing on the wall of the bedroom next to the room with the body, smeared on the wall in blood, something about a light."

"Horatio!"

The redhead turned slightly at the call, it was from downstairs, barely audible above the chatter of the crowds. He headed to the edge of thebalcony and leaned over the metal fence to peer down at Calleigh and Eric. Eric was looking perturbed whilst Calleigh just looked curious. The blonde glanced up, spied her superior and waved. Both of them were carrying cases of their work equipment.

"Up here now," Horatio called down to them before he turned back to Simon. "I want everything, all the accounts, all the names and prints of everyone here, everything the witnesses have said, every witness we have, the reports of every cop who's been here, all of it," he took care to emphasise the last three words.

Simon nodded seriously in response before stepping to one side to allow Horatio through. The redhead hesitated, he wanted to see her, needed to see her but he knew it would be unfair to let Eric and Calleigh follow him unwittingly, no clue that their witness, their survivor and plausible suspect was someone they knew. He knew of course that Ridley wasn't going to be the suspect but they had to treat this as it was, like any other crime scene, no familiarities.

'We can't,' the redhead thought numbly as he turned to face Calleigh, 'it might be the right thing to do but she's one of us. I made that promise, told her she wouldn't be alone and if we go in and look at her like a criminal and none of us gives our support because she is a part of the crime scene then she is alone.'

"Horatio what's wrong?" Calleigh demanded as she saw the worry that flickered through his blue eyes before he banished it. She was the one person other than Yelina who could pick up on the brief hints of emotion that he seemed determined to suppress when he was on duty, the signs that he was still human and thus vulnerable and capable of mistakes just like everyone else.

"Guys," he addressed them in a serious, low voice that set Eric's teeth on edge, "we know the survivor of this crime."

"Survivor?" Eric repeated in puzzlement. "Since when does he leave survivors?"

"Since it's personal."

"Who is the survivor?" the blonde demanded though she was afraid she knew.

"Detective Ridley Moon," he answered quietly.

"No," Eric gasped out his disbelief as his eyes went wide.

"Indeed," Horatio retorted wearily.

"Then who's the victim?" Calleigh demanded sharply.

"Her flatmate, Ruby Thibodeaux," he answered bluntly.

His team looked exhausted, like neither of them had slept at all and Horatio feared it might affect their job this morning if only a little. "Does anyone know Speed's whereabouts?" he queried. "I left several voice messages on his phone but I haven't gotten a response yet."

"He..." Eric hesitated and glanced at Calleigh briefly.

"He what?" Horatio demanded.

"We were out together last night and this morning," the blonde confessed, "the carnival, remember?"

Horatio nodded calmly though part of him wanted him to snap at the pair to get on with it as time was slipping past them and every second they stood out here was another second Ridley was in there alone.

"We bumped into Ridley there, she was supposed to be out with Ruby and some friends but she said they had left," the blonde explained. "Anyway, last we saw of Ridley and Speed was on the beach sometime around three."

"Did they leave together?" Horatio queried with an arched eyebrow.

Eric looked sheepish and purposely didn't look at the blonde as he retorted hastily, "we don't know. They had an argument, Ridley found out that Speed told us about her friend, she stormed off and he followed." He hated telling this to Horatio, he felt like they had been sneaking around behind his back, two pairs of illicit relationships, it suddenly seemed dirty now instead of romantic. 'Are Speed and Ridley even having a romance?' he pondered dumbly. 'Did he leave her home? Shit he's going to go nuts if he did.'

"I'll ring him again," Eric offered quietly.

Horatio nodded. "Right, we need to go in and process the scene." He turned away from them to face the ominous door once more.

"Horatio," Calleigh called to his back, "how are we treating this?"

"Like any crime scene," he answered bluntly.

"So..." Eric paused, hesitant to voice his thoughts not just because he knew Calleigh would be enraged by them but because they felt wrong to him to say. "Ridley...only survivor, first su-"

"No," Horatio cut him off sternly. "Ridley is one of us, always." He opened the door and led the way in.

She was there, on the edge of one of the sofas, stained from head to toe in drying blood, her hair a wild, frizzy mess, her skin soaked in sweat, her eyes rolling about in sunken sockets wildly, salvia, a hint of foam and blood at her lips, a couple of nails broken, bruising on her right knuckles and swelling forming on her knees.

Horatio frowned at the shirt she was wearing whilst Calleigh and Eric looked surprised at it, they all recognised it, Speed had worn it often enough, once he had worn it two days in a row. Eric contemplated that it could be some other guy's similar shirt, it wasn't like Speed shopped in a boutique store but he doubted it.

She was shaking and muttering something under her breath frantically. Horatio held up his left hand slowly, a signal to Calleigh to not rush over to her friend. "Get me a swab," he commanded quietly before he started walking forward slowly.

For a moment she didn't notice him, then his shadow fell on her and her head turned up. She looked like an animal, the last time Horatio had seen the kind of fear she bore was in the eyes of a battered dog.

"He, he was here," she stammered, "he was here, he was here."

He cocked his head slightly and leaned down so that his knees were bent and he was balancing on his feet, almost eye level with her. "I know," he said gently, "and now we are here Ridley."

She shook her head frantically causing fleck of sweat and blood to spray out. "He was here, he was here."

Horatio felt Calleigh at his back and held his right hand out to her, palm up without looking at her. He was determined to keep his stare on Ridley, it was not imposing, not even suspicious, it was just kind, harmless even, that warm stare that he reserved for terrified children. "Ridley I need you to hold your hands out, can you do that for me?"

She tried to raise them but then her shakes turned violent, so rapid that Calleigh let out a soft gasp and looked about for a medic as she feared the woman was having a fit.

"Ridley I know you have been through something terrible," Horatio continued to address her softly, "and I know to you it's still going on but your team is here now, you are no longer alone and we are going to go through this with you."

Her shaking subdued just a little and her hands rose, shaky and unsteady as she tried to straighten them. Horatio took her right hand in his gloved left hand tenderly and held out the swab with his right hand, swiping it under her nail. "Good girl," he praised quietly before he released it, pushed the cover of the swab up and handed it behind him to Calleigh's waiting hand.

The blonde handed him another swab, fumbling slightly as it was hard to tear her stare off Ridley. Traumatised didn't even begin to describe the woman, there was a red tinge to her eyelids, a blur in her irises and blood crusting at her nostrils, the blonde frowned as she began to wonder if it hinted at drug use. 'Was she drugged?' she pondered. 'She must have been, no cop would have slept through a murder, Hell how many ordinary people could? But a paranoid cop who has nightmares? No, she had to have been drugged but how did that happen?'

"And once more," Horatio murmured before he took her right hand this time and swabbed at the blood on her bruised knuckles. "Good work." He closed this swab and passed it back to Calleigh again.

"He was here," she stammered again, "he was here."

"Yes but he's gone now."

She shook her head. "He was gone...three months but he was here." Her eyes burned with tears as she looked at Horatio in horror. "He was screaming at me, I heard his voice," she croaked, "I swear I heard his voice. I heard Justin."

Horatio gave a slight frown before banishing it from her sight and nodding again. "Ridley can you give me ten minutes? I am going to go and check the scene over and then you and I are going to go outside away from this chaos and talk. Just you and me, no other cops, we'll find somewhere quiet to sit and you can tell me about what happened here."

"Not you, no, no, you don't find people! You don't find people!" she shrieked it out drawing several looks of alarm.

"Horatio she needs medical attention," Calleigh insisted, "I think..." She dropped her voice an octave and leaned down to him slightly. "I think she has been drugged."

"Perhaps," he murmured, "but I don't want her leaving just yet, not until one of us can go with her." He was puzzling over her latest accusation, feeling like it was in relation to something specific and not simply a critique of his work. He stood upright again just as Speed finally pushed his way into the house rudely.

Upon listening to Eric's call the blood had drained from Speed's face and he had wasted no time in bolting to his car to get here. He had come with his camera around his neck only because Eric had snapped at him through his curses that he had better bring it but that was about it. He was only wearing one sock, his shoes didn't match and he had only flung on a t-shirt and trousers, the first things that came to hand but no shirt or jacket and he had also forgotten his badge, so it was unsurprising that most of the cops on sight thought he was just a reporter.

"I'm a cop damnit let me through!" he snarled angrily.

"It's okay," Eric called hastily, "he's CSI."

Simon, who had been trying to drag Speed back out by his left arm released him and the female cop squaring him off from the front backed off with a shrug. Speed hurried over to the others, his eyes going wide when he saw Ridley. "Jesus fuck," he exclaimed before he could help it.

Horatio turned on him with a stern gaze. "Speed this is a crime scene," he reminded him firmly, "and whilst Ridley is one of us and we are here to support her we are here to process this scene as well." His cerulean gaze flickered over to Eric and Calleigh warningly. "Get photos and evidence from every inch of this flat, the door was unlocked and there is no evidence of a break in, this person potentially knew our victim."

"Ruby," Speed murmured, his brown stare still on Ridley, clad in his bloodstained shirt.

Horatio looked at Speed swiftly and he quipped, "did you know the victim?"

"Briefly," Speed confessed, "we met a couple of times, that was it."

Horatio knew he should point out how that could compromise Speed being on the case but by that logic they should all be off it, they all knew Ridley and Horatio had met Ruby several times too. Yet at this point he didn't care for doing it by the book because going strictly by the book meant abandoning the case and handing Ridley and her horrors over to strangers and he would not do that. "I met her as well," he confessed seeing the bold, furious glance Speed gave him as he feared being ordered home and was evidently determined to protest. "She was a good woman and she deserved better than this."

Horatio sighed and kneeled down before Ridley once more. "Ridley I need Speed to take some photos of you, can he do that?"

"No noodles," she whispered hoarsely before giving a grin so twisted and wrong even Horatio was unnerved.

"He'll be quick," the redhead assured before standing upright again and stepping back. "Speed, do your job," he ordered.

Speed fumbled with his camera hastily before lifting it up and looking through the lens down at Ridley. She was hugging herself loosely now and had started rocking back and forth slowly, muttering something under her breath. He dropped his camera with a curse and snapped, "I can't! H she's not another piece of evidence."

Horatio rested his hands on his hips and gave the dark haired man a commanding glower. "Yes she is Mr. Speedle, she is more than that I know, we all know and none of us wants to put her through anymore trauma this morning but if you want to help her and Ruby you will process this crime scene correctly."

Speed bowed his head in defeat, knowing that his boss was right but as he raised the camera again he couldn't help hating himself a little. He took a couple of photos, freezing when she looked up with a frightened, woeful stare. Snap. Another photo, he was just doing his job and yet he felt like he was the dirty criminal.

"Good work Speed," Horatio said quietly, "now let's go look at the main crime scene," he ordered his team.

Speed lowered his camera and looked to Ridley; it had just been a few hours ago, he had left her at the door... Left her to the mercy of a psychopath, left her to suffer through the murder of her friend. "Fuck," he muttered as the guilt surged through him. He had known about her paranoia, she had wanted him to check Ruby's house the last time, why hadn't he done it again? Why hadn't he insisted on coming in here with her if only to be certain that things were okay? Better yet why hadn't he gone with his other urges and insisted that Ridley had come to his house? "I'm sorry," he mumbled to her weakly.

If she heard him she did not react, instead she started to mumble, "my fault, my fault, ssss...sorry?" She made it a question as if she herself did not understand the word. "My fault, my fault."

Horatio walked off prompting his team to follow though they all moved slowly, glancing back at the young woman as they did.

Snap. Snap. Speed was certain his camera sounded louder than usual and that the flash was brighter and harsher. Snap. Snap. Jesse King and Amelia Greene. Snap. Snap. Abigail Mosley, Darcy and Greg Kinskey. Snap. Snap. Slasher smiles. Snap. Snap. The Kinskey household again. Snap. Snap. Ridley and noodles. He had gotten sick of his camera until then, something different, a photo he had actually liked. Snap. Snap. Ridley in his house in his black shirt. He sorely regretted not getting a photo of her blowing out the pumpkin. She hadn't seemed right at his house, happy yet not. Snap. Snap. A wedding with a double killing. He would have preferred a photo of Calleigh and Eric dancing if only to taunt Eric with it. Now here they were again and the photos of Ridley were for naught, his attempts to capture something other than a crime scene had been wasted because now she was part of the crime scene and he knew of all the photos he had of her the one he had just taken of her looking up at him bloodstained, dejected and terrified would be the only one that stood out now.

Alexx was at the scene, looking down at the brutally slashed Ruby sympathetically. The redhead was naked, spread-eagled on the bed, completely exposed with deep red wounds all over her body and something glinting out of her mouth.

"What is that?" Eric was quick to zone in on the object, his eyes widening again as he made out a bloodstained coin. It was a bracelet, just like Ridley's necklace except it was pewter instead of gold. "That...it's just like Ridley's!" he exclaimed before he could help it.

"Did the killer bring it?" Calleigh queried in bafflement as she looked at the blood soaked young woman pityingly.

"No," Horatio answered flatly, "it was Ruby's."

"How do you know?" Alexx questioned as she looked at Horatio curiously. "Nothing here indicates that, there isn't even a groove on her wrist to suggest much wear."

"Because I saw it on her," he retorted calmly.

"What?" Speed looked at Horatio in confusion. "But..." He hesitated, not wanting to speak about that damn necklace again or admit that he knew anything about it. "Ridley got hers from Detective Silver," he decided just to say it.

"As did Ruby," Horatio mused, "interesting, I know. Alexx, remember Detective Silver had an odd red groove on his palm that no one could identify?"

Alexx nodded slowly as a knowing look filled her. "Like a small coin," she said with a small smile, "perhaps off a bracelet or necklace?"

Horatio nodded. "I came to the same conclusion, at first I thought what everyone in New York probably did, what the killer wanted us to think and wants us to think now."

"Which is?" Calleigh queried carefully as she folded her arms and gave Horatio a look of suspicion.

"Which is that Ridley is involved somehow," Horatio retorted, still calm, though it was clear he was only just managing it. "She had an affair with Detective Silver, she loved him, the night he died he was out of the city, no one knows where or who with but he lied to his wife about it. He died horribly but there was never a clear crime scene because his body was moved, it looked like by someone who cared for him, positioned carefully in his car and wrapped under a blanket and then there was the coin imprint on his palm, the killer probably hoped that would be enough to damage Ridley's career but it failed. Apparently Detective Silver had a habit of giving coin jewellery to his lovers, Ridley was just one of those, but Ruby said she didn't know this, so if Ridley didn't perhaps our killer didn't either but others did."

"So you think the killer deliberately moved Detective Silver's body to make it look like someone who cared about him had either come across it or been there at the time?" Eric questioned dubiously.

Horatio nodded confidently. "Yes, at first I thought it out of pattern but as we are learning very quickly now this person or persons do not have a pattern they just wanted us to think they did. I hate to admit it but they had been in control this entire time, planning everything, laying out false trails and red herrings, lulling us into false security by thinking we could actually predict their next move. The wedding was a turning point, no one, not even our killer, could know what Claire and the others had planned for Mr. McDowell."

"So what about this poor angel?" Alexx questioned as she gestured down to Ruby's mutilated body. "Why would anyone think Ridley had done this?"

Speed stared down at Ruby, unable to look away. It was so hard to acknowledge that this was the tough, no nonsense woman who had faced him down with an admirable ferocity. She had been Ridley's rock down here, her one constant show of support and now...now Ridley would be broken, torn up worse than she was over Justin. At least Ridley had not been with him when he had died but she had been here when Ruby had died, right next door.

"A paranoid cop in the bedroom next door somehow sleeping through this kind of a murder," Calleigh murmured, "it seems unlikely doesn't it?"

"The very cop who is tracking this very killer," Eric continued darkly, "why would she be spared? Her partner wasn't."

"And the bracelet is in Ruby's mouth, an implication that Ridley found out about Ruby's relationship with Detective Silver, and then we have our final piece of evidence in Ridley's room. The writing should quite literally be on the wall," Horatio concluded.

"It might fit to someone who didn't know her," Calleigh mused as she gave Horatio a glower, unsure of his thoughts or intentions, "or someone who wants to scapegoat her some more."

"Calleigh we all know Ridley did not do this," Horatio assured her, "and since Ruby revealed her bracelet to me I have been quite certain that Ridley truly did not have any involvement with Detective Silver on the night of his death."

"H how could you initially have suspected her?" Eric demanded as he shook his head scornfully. "I mean she has had her moments but even I can see that she is a good cop and she was devoted to that man, there is no way she would have held anything back about his case even if it meant her own reputation."

"I would like to believe that Eric, I really would but Detective Moon and Detective Silver most certainly had their secrets," Horatio retorted frostily.

"Not this again," Calleigh commented in frustration, "not now Horatio, it bears no relevance here."

"What are you guys talking about?" Eric queried as he looked from one to the other.

"Nothing relevant," Horatio answered coolly as he held his second's angry stare. "Speed, photos," he prompted the trace experts.

Speed had been standing almost in a trance as he looked at Ruby. Sure she had rubbed him up the wrong way but it had been out of love for Ridley, her heart had been in the right place even if her mouth hadn't. Snap. Snap. Some more soul destroying photos.

"What was the murder weapon?" Horatio questioned.

"Don't know yet," Alexx confessed. She gestured down to Ruby's throat. "Something jagged, it's strange but there are a few white dots here, see?"

Horatio leaned down and nodded before accepting the tweezers Calleigh offered and plucking one from the skin at the edge of the wound and putting it in a bag.

They took their time bagging and tagging, a lot longer than the ten minutes Horatio had told Ridley he would be gone for. He did want to go back to her but he was reluctant to leave the crime scene, fearful of missing something. 'You don't find people,' her words echoed through him. Had she meant Hawkes or was he being ridiculous? Well he would find this madman, damnit he would.

Eventually they moved into Ridley's room. Calleigh was quick to bag and tag the empty glass after sniffing it, confirming there had been orange juice in it, and the half eaten cookie. Drugged, Calleigh was certain Ridley had been drugged but by whom or how she could not determine, that would be up to the tox screening. She vowed to find the orange juice and lift it too. Horatio pondered dully if Ruby had done it, unwittingly sealing her own fate in her misguided determination to ensure that her friend got some rest one way or another.

Speed noted that the snow globe was gone whilst Horatio seemed to stiffen as he eyed the sunglasses resting inconspicuously on the bookshelf with a few flecks of blood on them. He snatched them up and peered closely at them, his face turning grey as he turned them over.

"Something wrong H?" Eric queried, worried as he thought his boss almost looked ill.

"Very wrong," Horatio retorted quietly.

"What is it?" Calleigh demanded whilst Speed took photos of the wall art.

"These were mine," the redhead answered, his voice brittle as his nerves leaked into it.

* * *

_Okay firstly, sorry to Ruby fans, I loved her too but I've had this planned for so, so long! I mean right from the start! My favourite urban legend, so Ruby got some distinction at least. I anxieted over typing this one, even thought of giving Ruby some more time but this is the way it was planned so it's the way it had to go._

_As always many, many thanks for your reviews! Please do keep them coming! And hello all new fans :-)_


	15. Chapter 15- Solving the Riddle

_They moved horribly slow down into the bunker, had to be safe, there could be someone waiting or the place could collapse. When he heard a whimper he hurried on despite knowing better, damnit there was someone waiting here! Gun in his right hand, torch in the left, dirt and stones scattered under his feet noisily as he moved through the dark, dusty chamber as quick as he dared._

_His torch was reflected back on a glint of metal, the first thing that caught his eye, an iron cuff attached to a chain with a thin, bruised and blood wrist bound in it. "We need a medic now!" he roared it out as he flashed his torch about the area as swiftly as he could. It was a small room, one prisoner and judging from some of the evidence one captor too, who had hopefully left a trail._

_He turned his attention back to the girl, sheathing his gun and tugging his badge off from his belt. "NYPD, I'm Officer Caine," he addressed her, loudly but calmly, "we're here to help you."_

_Big, brown eyes looked at him in terror, she couldn't distinguish him for whom and what he was, he was just another dangerous figure in the shadow. "Please no," she rasped it out as she shook her battered face, "please no."_

"_Are you Felicity Chase?"_

_Something showed on her face, puzzlement and then she looked at him or tried to but it was dark and her eyes were bruised, she squinted and cocked her head. He pointed his torch onto his badge hoping that it would somehow help. "Felicity," she sounded it out slowly as if she hadn't heard the name in a while. "Police? Yes! Yes!" She nodded frantically and shook her chains loudly. "God yes! Get me out of here! He'll come back!"_

_It took a torturously long thirty minutes to get the girl out of her binds, during that time she switched from loud hysterics to a disturbing silence as she wailed about her captor coming back. She refused to name him and no amount of assurances or persuasion from Horatio helped. When she was free he was quick to bundle his blazer about her naked form and accept her trembling hand in his own. She attempted to walk and her eyes made it clear that she wanted to run but her knees shook and threatened to give out._

_It took another slow ten minutes to escort her up as she refused to be carried, undoubtedly equating that with being at someone's mercy all over again. Up and up into the light, the bright, blinding, afternoon light. She gasped at it, shrank back against him and moaned, "my eyes."_

_Seven days she had been missing, seven days of darkness potentially, it was no wonder she was light sensitive. Horatio tugged out his ray-bans and opened them with one hand before offering them to her. "You can have these," he said gently, "they will help."_

_She blinked at them in puzzlement before grasping for them, shoving them on and then letting out a soft sigh of relief. "I missed the light," she mumbled weakly._

_The ambulance was waiting and the paramedics took over but she was terrified and refused to go with them without a police officer so Horatio took the chance despite a police woman offering to go. Felicity only wanted him, her rescuer, her protector. He had hoped to get some information out of her but she was sedated._

_It was another twenty-eight hours before they talked again, this time in the sanctuary of a hospital ward. During this time Felicity's mother and stepfather had come. Horatio had watched how the girl had went white at the sight of Samuel Hawkes and refused to make eye contact, confirming Horatio's dark suspicions. When Horatio got her alone however and voiced his suspicions she refused to confirm them._

"_You have to solve the riddle," she babbled at him, "please." She was lucid on drugs and yet still seemed anxious, frantic even as she grabbed his arm with both hands and dug her chipped nails in. "Please, he'll break the riddle."_

"_Riddle?" Horatio parroted in confusion. "What riddle? What are you talking about Felicity? Who will break what? Samuel?"_

_She turned grey and went into hysterics at the name but still no confession. "Riddle! Riddle! Riddle!" She ranted it over and over until the nurses came and she was sedated once more._

Horatio turned the now blood spattered ray-bans over in his hand, noting the minute scratches on the left stem that indicated they were used and the small engraving on the right stem- H.C, Horatio Caine. They had been a gift from his brother Ray, a congratulations present for becoming a police officer, also somewhat of a joke as New York wasn't exactly known for being a sunny state. A precious possession and he had given it away like it was nothing, all to provide a sliver of comfort for a traumatised girl.

"Yours?" Calleigh queried in surprise as she folded her arms. "How on earth can you know that?"

"H.C," he murmured softly, "on the right stem. I gave these to Felicity Chase."

"Who?" Eric questioned. Speed and Calleigh both looked thoughtful at the name.

"No," Calleigh said as she unfolded her arms and shook her head, "the same Felicity that Ridley told Speed about, is that what you think? Then...Detective Silver and that Hawkes guy...did he shoot him for Ridley for Felicity?"

"Did who shoot who? I'm confused," Eric said in frustration, "what's going on here and how is it relevant to this case right now?"

"Flick," Speed murmured dryly, "Ridley called her Flick even though she hates nicknames but she never mentioned a last name."

"What?" Horatio turned on Speed with a fierce stare causing the younger man to take a nervous step back. "What did you say?" Horatio snapped impatiently.

"Flick," Speed retorted hastily, "Ridley called Felicity, Flick, said that was her nickname but Ridley hates nicknames. I mean was it the same Felicity? How do you know about her?"

"Because she was one of my first cases," Horatio answered carefully before sweeping a hand through his golden auburn hair. He turned away from them all and paced about the room, head bowed in deep thought. 'Felicity...Flick...she was surprised when I called her Felicity, did Hawkes call her Flick too? Did he rob her of that identity? Riddle...' He paused and thought of Ridley's words in the attic where Mrs Silver's body had been dumped, how she had mumbled about being terrified of being next and how Horatio had assured her that he wouldn't let it happen. She had screamed at him that he had let it happen before hastily turning it ambiguous and murmuring that they had all let it happen but it had been a personal accusation, he was certain of it. Then tonight, '_you don't find people!' _her horrified accusation shrieked through his head.

"Felicity had a necklace," he murmured softly, "a gold star necklace, her grandmother's, it was our biggest clue to suggest she hadn't left willingly because her mother swore she would never go anywhere without it. Ridley was wearing it in photographs, and Ruby confirmed she wore it all the time."

"Gold star necklace?" Calleigh repeated as she looked at her superior dubiously. "Is that why you were looking that up? Horatio what is your deal?! Ridley is not a criminal!"

They were all looking at him, Calleigh angrily, Eric like he thought the redhead was going mad and Speed darkly as he was starting to follow his train of thought to the same conclusions Horatio was coming to. Ridley had freaked out at the house party because of a room with chained bodies, she had said it had reminded her of Felicity's plight, then she had freaked out again on a rollercoaster, babbling about being restrained and having no control and Speed had assumed it was again linked to Felicity's trauma but Ridley had acted like it was all a lot more personal than that.

"About a year ago, Detective Silver gunned down Samuel Hawkes who was using the alias Carl Bluestone and whom Detective Silver had no previous contact with and no way of knowing who and what he really was," Horatio continued as if Calleigh had not interrupted. "Detective Silver had barely used his gun before that, preferring the traditional methods of talking or beating it out of people, generally though he was all threat. Soon after, Ridley started wearing a new necklace."

"Gold coins," Speed murmured dryly.

Horatio paused in his pacing and looked to the trace experts coolly and saw recognition in Speed's brown eyes. "I could have gotten him," Horatio confessed angrily, "all the evidence was there but without Felicity naming him we couldn't get a warrant. I knew it was him but no one else wanted to buy it, he played the concerned stepfather act all too well and there were other suspects, a known paedophile had been in the area, and a rapist. I told Felicity I knew it was him, I promised all she had to do was name him and we would do the rest but she wouldn't."

"You said she kept going about riddles," Calleigh murmured softly. Suddenly the realisation was there in her eyes too, magnifying her vibrant blue irises with damp tears.

"I should have understood," Horatio murmured, "damnit I should have!"

Eric flinched when Horatio punched his fist into the wall. "Woah H that's evidence! What the hell is going on here? Are we jumping onto another case? What are you guys talking about?"

"Ridley said I couldn't find people and she was right!" Horatio snapped. "Felicity tried to tell me but she was so afraid, I didn't understand, damnit why didn't I understand?!"

"Why was she afraid?" Speed forced out the words, his tone low and angry as he clenched his fists and his complexion turned an odd shade of grey.

"I thought she was afraid for herself," Horatio grumbled, "but she wasn't, she was terrified about what he would do to her friend. Her friend was still in captivity, she wanted to tell me but she probably thought he would kill her if she did but damnit she tried, why didn't I get it?"

"Get what?" Eric snapped in frustration.

Speed shook his head. "She said it happened to her friend," he murmured, "you can't...it's the wrong conclusion."

This time Horatio shook his head. "Ridley Moon and Felicity Chase, to each other they were Riddle and Flick. Felicity was trying to tell me about a person."

"Fuck!"

Simon and two other officers who had ventured up the corridor at the sound of Horatio punching a wall and Eric yelling finally dared to enter the bedroom at Speed's curse. They found Calleigh silently crying, Eric looking shocked, Horatio with an odd expression none of them could decipher and Speed just shaking his head repeatedly.

"Lieutenant Caine Miss...er Detective Moon has been sick," Simon piped up.

"Ridley," Horatio murmured as he turned towards the door.

"I'll go," Calleigh snapped as she glowered at her superior, "you are not doing this now Horatio; you will send her into a madness we won't get back from."

"No," Speed's voice was cold and serious as he blocked Calleigh from the doorway. He tugged off his camera and pushed it out to Eric violently. "I'm done, you guys can keep being detective here but I'm going to be her friend."

"Right now she would probably prefer a woman," Calleigh pointed out gently, "and I'm her friend too Speed and...you might only make it worse," she finished quietly.

"Whose shirt is she wearing huh?" Speed retaliated angrily. "It's not yours Calleigh or yours Horatio, or Eric's. I'm going to go take care of her, you want to question and harass her and interrogate her that happens later and I'm going to be there for that too," he added firmly.

"Um the medic's gone," Simon murmured as Speed turned his glare on him. He stepped out of the doorway awkwardly. "There didn't seem to be a need."

"Call one," Speed grumbled before he stormed off.

"Right." Simon, after getting a stern look from Horatio, hastened from the room with his companions in tow.

"Whatever you think happened to Ridley ten years ago isn't relevant now," Calleigh addressed Horatio firmly, "we deal with what's happening to her now. We need to wrap up this crime scene, and start processing the evidence, that's how we help Ridley."

Horatio nodded in agreement. "We need to green light for trails of blood, it's possible our killer left one, highly unlikely but we have to check, and ultraviolet Ruby's room, she wasn't the type to knowingly have a stranger in her room."

"You really think she the guy, our guy?" Eric questioned curiously.

"I think she potentially knew the man that killed her tonight," Horatio answered carefully, "and if that proves true it will be our best lead yet. It might also lead credence to the theory that the suburban legends killer doesn't work alone but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

Speed found Ridley as they had left her only now she was shaking non-stop and had a dry crusting of vomit at her mouth and a puddle of it near her feet. He tugged off his gloves, approached her quickly and sat beside her, lacking Horatio's tact and patience. He realised when she turned her rolling eyes on him that he hadn't a clue what to do. Horatio at least knew what to say to victims, Speed usually just avoided the whole personal, emotional business with the victims, it was why he was an expert at gathering evidence not accounts- footprints, DNA, tatters from clothes, none of that cried, or screamed and it rarely lied.

"He said I wouldn't be alone," she babbled, "but you all left." She shook her head. "Ruby wasn't alone, didn't matter. Doesn't matter. NYPD, I'm NYPD right? You're Miami, it's okay, he said the team was here...I thought my team...doesn't matter."

As usual Speed had no idea what she was talking about although he guessed Horatio was to blame. Hadn't he always said Ridley was part of the team? Had he told her that this morning then to reassure her only to abandon her for over an hour?

"I don't want to be alone," she choked out, her voice quivering as her body continued to tremble, "I don't." She bowed her head as her nose started to bleed and several hoarse sobs racked through her. "He was here, he was here, I was here, and Ruby was here. In her room, in my room, I'm next, I'm next."

"Ridley you're not alone," Speed spoke up firmly, his voice quiet and yet just audible over her mumblings. "I'm here okay, right here and I'm not going away again."

"I want to go away," she choked out, "he was here, Justin was here too, I heard him. I don't want to be here."

"There's an ambulance coming, it will take you to the hospital. I'll come too."

"No!" she snapped suddenly with a shake of her head. "Too open, too many people, God please no, not there; I don't want to be there."

Speed sighed and took in her appearance, he decided that most of it was just down to shock and what could a hospital do for that? Drugs she did not need and would not want? He glimpsed the coin necklace at her throat, now smeared in blood, and thought about what Ruby had said about how Ridley sought out cops for protection. Thinking of what Horatio had said he realised grimly that he understood it now, that happy but unhappy smile with Detective Silver; he had been one of those cops she had sought for protection and he had probably taken full advantage of his position. That night in the club, Ruby had hooked up with Brian, now Speed realised Ruby had gone to Brian's and knowing that would happen and that she would be abandoned in a strange home in a strange area in a foreign city alone, Ridley had fallen into an old hobby and desperately thrown herself at a man who could protect her for the evening, a cop, him. God it was twisted, he supposed she had at least been attracted to him and liked him on some level even then or someone else might have done, or maybe she had known he would be safe because they worked together, he wasn't going to turn out to be a cop with a wife, or odd interests or something else sordid. Speed knew now he wanted to be more than that to Ridley, more than a guy with a gun to keep her safe but this morning he decided that he would make an exception if it made her feel just a little better.

He reached out one hand and placed it on her left shoulder causing her to flinch slightly. He wanted to say something but words failed him as he met her watery brown-grey stare.

"Tim I'm scared," she choked out.

He drew her close to him, screw the cops staring, screw the crime scene and screw preserving the evidence. He placed one hand against the back of her head and pushed her gently against his chest before wrapping his other arm about her waist as he turned her sideways against him and prompted her to lift her bloodstained legs up. She was stiff as she moved reluctantly and when she placed the side of her head against him her eyes remained wide and unfocused.

"You're safe," he murmured, "right now you're safe. You and I are going to stay right here like this okay so you don't have to worry or be scared, just close your eyes and stop thinking for a moment Ridley." His voice sounded monotone as he tried to maintain some sort of professionalism, afraid that if he let his concern slip into his voice it wouldn't do her any good. Maybe it would comfort her but maybe she would only cry harder and then he would start to lose it because all he could think of was her description of a girl kidnapped and tortured, a girl in chains, and it was her.

Bump, bump, bump. Tim's heart sounded against Ridley's left ear softly, a steady, rhythmic beat. Bump, bump, bump. Familiar, calming, if it quickened she would worry but right now she let it soothe her. Bump, bump, bump. A steady, dependable beat, it drowned out the chatter of the cops, the accusations, the gruesome, blunt descriptions of Ruby's body and the gossip about the other cases. Bump, bump, bump. Nothing but Tim's heartbeats.

The ambulance arrived as Horatio, Calleigh and Eric returned to the living room. Ridley was half-asleep, still in Speed's arms listening to his heart beating on and on. Speed remained alert, glowering at anyone that got too close or stared for too long. He was stained in blood now and the coppery scent being so close and constant was beginning to nauseate him, of course the puddle of drying vomit wasn't helping either.

Eric stared at the woman in horror, he didn't understand what Horatio had been talking about, he knew he had only gotten half the story but it was bad enough, something awful had happened to Ridley and a friend but the cops, which had included Horatio, had only rescued her friend. He tried to calm his expression when he caught Speed glowering at him pointedly.

"The ambulance is here," Simon commented as he looked from Horatio to Speed awkwardly.

Ridley tensed at his words and murmured, "I don't want that."

A weary looking Alexx entered the room, pausing to give Speed a questioning look. "What did I miss Timmy?" she queried calmly as she folded her arms and looked at him with all the scorn of a school teacher.

Speed visibly flinched under her accusing stare before he recovered some of his usual apathetic stance. He glanced down at Ridley and then up at Alexx again. "Alexx if there was any poisoning involved here, the worst effects would have happened by now right?"

"Probably," Alexx mused, "but I don't know every poison or drug out there, certainly the effects could last a long while but I would like to think the worst of it would have manifested by now. Can I assume that you are not so tactfully trying to refer to Ridley here and the probability of her being drugged? Medical attention would be a good idea Timmy but whatever the side effects or plausible allergic reactions I imagine the worst has happened, however I can't know for certain until I know what's in her system."

"It's on the floor," Speed answered dryly as he gestured down to the drying vomit with one hand.

"Speed are you trying to suggest something here?" Horatio queried calmly, keeping his suspicion from his face. "The ambulance is outside, Ridley is in shock, ill, potentially drugged and that's only what we know, you can go with her."

"I don't see the point in putting her through it if she doesn't want to," Speed admitted wearily as he felt Ridley tense again at Horatio's words. "She's been through enough." 'A lifetime of enough,' he thought darkly.

"Poking, probing, holding me down, can't do it, can't do it again," she muttered.

Calleigh winced at her words and shuddered as fresh tears came to her eyes. It was horrible that the woman's rambling actually made sense to the blonde. "Horatio send it away," the blonde said softly.

"Come on Ridley," Speed addressed her quietly, "you need out of this place. We will go to mine, you will be safe there."

Horatio raised a golden-red eyebrow at this but knew from the brown eyed glare he got that it wasn't worth the argument or the prying. He folded his arms and didn't bother with a protest as Speed urged Ridley to her feet. She kept turned into him, face bowed and hidden by her long, tangled hair as she purposely refused to look at anyone.

"Keep both eyes on her Timmy," Alexx advised calmly.

Horatio looked over at the medical examiner recalling how she had given the same advice to him. 'Does she think I failed?' he pondered dryly. 'Well I did, my eyes were never on her, she was out there, chained up, alone and suffering and I never looked for her. How did you get out in the end Ridley? Who freed you? Why did you end up with Felicity's necklace and my sunglasses? Did you tell Detective Silver about it? Did he shoot Hawkes or did you?' All questions for another day but given the young woman's state it was hard to guess when that day would be.

"I'll call by," Calleigh said swiftly to Speed, "in a few hours."

"Me too," Eric murmured. He still looked shell shocked and was unable to look at Ridley without wincing. 'We were on a carousel just a few hours ago,' he thought numbly, 'she was smiling and laughing.'

Speed didn't answer; he simply walked out of the house with Ridley awkwardly shuffling beside him. He wanted to push her on when they were outside, exposed to glaring sun and the distracting flashes of the paparazzi cameras. Instead he kept her turned against him, safe from exposure and snapped at one of the on duty cops, "give me a coat."

The cop fumbled to obey, tugging off their own blue jacket and holding it out to him. Speed snatched it off him and was quick to bundle it about Ridley, hiding her bloodstained state from sight. "Don't look," he advised her as he started walking her down the steps.

It took close to an hour for them to get to Speed's. Getting near his car and into it was a challenge and involved several cops trying to push the reporters out of their way. Then trying to pull out was even more of a nightmare as the reporters were determined to block his route but after several blasts of the horn and loud cursing he made it out. The remainder of the drive was busy thanks to the late morning traffic and thick with an uncomfortable silence.

Once he made it into his house all Speed wanted to do was sleep, he was completely drained from the day's events and could only imagine how Ridley was. She moved like a zombie into his home, pausing on the tiled floors and looking down at them slowly. "Sss...sorry." Again she said the word like she was unsure about its meaning or pronunciation.

"What for?" Speed looked at her in puzzlement before reaching for the cop's coat and tugging it off.

"Making your floor dirty," she mumbled.

"It's already dirty," he pointed out. It was certainly true, he wasn't the greatest at housework and there were so many stains on the while tiles around the kitchen/living room area that he didn't know what had caused them anymore.

"I'm dirty...she bled on me I think...maybe she was still breathing...I said goodbye this time."

Speed didn't know what to say, he just stared at her awkwardly for a moment thinking about how bringing her here had been an awful idea and yet the thought of her being elsewhere was worse. "You...you can get a shower," he suggested as he gestured towards his hall, "you should get a shower."

"Where?"

"Down the hall on the left, it will help."

"Right."

She shuffled off and when she was gone Speed mentally cursed to himself several times. Get a shower? 'Hey Ridley,' he thought sardonically, 'your friend was just brutally murdered two feet from you and you stink, wash it off. Shit what am I doing? What was I thinking?' He glanced down as his now own stained clothes and realised that he was very much dirty too. 'Poor Ruby,' he thought sympathetically, 'you didn't deserve that, no one did and now Ridley has it to add onto her plate, the guilt of you and the guilt of Detective Silver. Who is this guy? Why has he made it so personal?'

He headed to his bedroom and tugged off his dirty clothes there. He paused as he reached for a clean pair of trousers, he could hear the sound of running water but there was something else with it. Sobbing. He ignored it for a moment and instead just stood in his boxers looking awkwardly at the doorway leading to the hall. It didn't stop though, it was getting hoarse and quieter but it was still continuing. He sighed and moved out into the hall quietly, and then moved down it slowly. He stopped outside the open bathroom door and looked in.

Ridley was sitting in the shower, knees raised, hands wrapped about them, leaning against the tiles as she cried against them. She was still fully clothed and now soaked from head to toe and turning the off-white bottom of the shower pink.

Speed stepped into the bathroom though he contemplated walking away and leaving her to work through her grief. He knew it wouldn't be fair, this wasn't working through her grief after all, this was having a psychotic breakdown. He opened the shower door, kneeled down and said quietly, "come on." He held out a hand but she just stared at it. He frowned, half-squinted his eyes and moved into the shower, wincing slightly at the shock of cold water on his skin. "Shit Ridley I think you've suffered enough without an ice cold shower," he said sardonically. He reached up to the taps, turning the temperature up until the water was lukewarm.

She let Speed take her in her arms once more and push her damp hair back from her brow. He sat there, cross-legged and allowed her to burrow against him and seek out the soothing bump, bump, bump once more. For a few minutes that was all there was again, just his heart beating her into a gentle stupor.

When he was satisfied that she was calm Speed started to help her undress, slow and professional he didn't try to make a seduction out of it or pause to look at her bare legs or exposed chest. It didn't take long to fling off the shirt and then slip off the vest top and shorts to be abandoned on the bathroom floor. Once she was undressed, he tugged her close again and shut his eyes briefly. Showering with a woman had never appealed to him, showers were too small and the positioning in one was more than a little awkward. Besides, when he was in a shower he just wanted to wash and be done with it. This though, this was different, this wasn't attempting shower sex but it wasn't a steamy attempt to wash each other either. This was an odd form of consoling someone in their grief and trying to bring them out of their shock.

He gave it twenty minutes before he finally turned off the shower, urged her out and bundled her up in a towel. After, he gave her a pair of his boxers and his black shirt and then they sat in his living room and he turned the television on. It was too normal but he knew she wouldn't just go to bed, he imagined her mind was burning itself up with a collision of horrors and nightmares and he didn't want to give her the chance to think about them, at least the television was a distraction.

It took two hours before she finally nodded off against him, lulled to sleep by his heartbeats. He glanced down at her with relief, and changed the channel. He was determined to stay awake; she wouldn't feel safe if he didn't. "I've got both eyes on you," he murmured reassuringly as he looked down at her.


	16. Chapter 16-Things Are Different in Miami

It had been two days since Ruby's murder and if things weren't bad enough her parents had come in from Orlando to demand the body for a funeral and her boyfriend Brian had run to the press in a fury naming and blaming Ridley for the incident. Every paper in the city had Ridley Moon on its headlines, and once one had dug up the story about Justine and Riley being the names of two of the victims it had spread like wildfire that the killer had a personal vendetta against the New York detective. Photographs of Justin Silver also surfaced as his memory was simultaneously praised and tarnished depending on the opinion of the journalist.

When Horatio arrived at the Miami-Dade Police Headquarters he found himself a little dismayed to find his parking space free. It had only been a couple of days and yet it had become so common for her car to be in his space that it was coldly obvious when it was absent. He pondered darkly if it was guilt or worse, worry, that made him notice her absence so vividly.

She wasn't safe, bad enough Speed had actually dared to leave her alone in his house yesterday, grumbling to Calleigh after her admonishment that Ridley had insisted upon it, but even when Speed was with her Horatio didn't think it was a good idea, it just put Speed in harm's way too and yet none of them would have the woman alone.

As he stepped out of his car his phone started ringing. He tugged out it out and read 'Det Taylor' on the screen; well it was an overdue call really. He flipped it open and held it up grimly. "Good afternoon Detective Taylor," he greeted calmly as he locked his car.

"Lieutenant Caine, I think you know why I'm calling," came Mac's blunt retort. Detective Taylor was always straight to the point, always business, a former Marine he was a deeply troubled and serious man, and one Horatio respected.

"Of course," Horatio answered amicably, "our shared business of the Suburban Killer."

"Ridley Moon," Mac answered, still polite though there was a hint of annoyance as if he knew Horatio was being purposely coy. "I had hoped she would be an asset but it seems she is more of a hindrance than a help, worse she seems to be endangering those near her and is in danger herself."

"Detective Moon has been professional, capable and helpful even when faced with the ire and judgement of the city, the unfairly placed blame of the press and the personal suffering this killer seems determined to put her through," Horatio defended calmly as he approached the main building. "She remains the expert on this case and I think we both know there would still be victims regardless of her role in this case."

"Maybe so but it looks damning and given the last victim was her own flatmate I cannot believe that Detective Moon is mentally stable enough to continue this case," Mac retorted, his voice still coolly professional. "At any rate I am calling you with a word of warning, perhaps too late, I learned this morning that my colleague Detective Don Flack knew this Ruby person and boarded a plane for Miami yesterday evening. It is my intent to have him bring Detective Moon back to New York for an enforced period of leave to deal with her grief and escape the publicity of this case."

Horatio just managed to withhold his sigh. He halted at the main doors seeing a tall, dark haired, irate man within yelling at the receptionist. "Too late indeed," he murmured wryly. "Detective Moon will find no peace until this case is complete and I believe it will only worsen her mental health should she be removed from the case and her opportunity to see her friends' killer brought to justice."

"Horatio her attempts to see Detective Silver's killer brought to justice have only resulted in more deaths and scrutiny for Detective Moon, I have had to fight for her badge here. If this continues she will lose her job and possibly her life."

"New York abandoned her Detective Taylor," Horatio retorted pointedly, "in New York she would be alone and vulnerable, I won't send her back to that when her life is at serious risk. Now, judging from the yells I believe your Detective Flack did not have a good flight. Goodbye." He snapped the phone shut and stepped into the building, tugging off his sunglasses to greet Detective Flack with a faint grin.

The Queens native turned an icy, clear blue stare on the redhead, eyeing his badge quickly. He was young, not much older than Ridley, fair skinned and stern faced with the typical rough around the edges look of a city cop. He wore a pale lilac shirt with a coal grey suit and a gold detective badge hanging about his neck instead of a tie. "Are you who I need to talk to, to get some goddamn answers?" he snapped in frustration.

"I'm guessing from your New York charm that you must be Detective Flack," Horatio retorted calmly.

"Yeah, and you are?" Flack snapped. He was tired even if he wore it well and his already short temper was close to turning into a fiery rage.

"I'm Lieutenant Horatio Caine, is there a reason you are in Miami?" Horatio quipped politely as he rested his hands on hips, pushing back his blazer slightly so his badge was fully on display.

"Where's Ridley, Caine?" Flack demanded angrily. "I want to see her, right now."

"Detective Moon is on hiatus due to a personal loss," Horatio confessed.

Flack threw his arms up in the air as his frown deepened. "Hiatus," he grumbled, "she takes her leave in New York, not here. Look I need to talk to her." His words came out clipped and sharp, sounding even harsher thanks to his fierce, thick Queens accent that he no doubt used to its full extent when interrogating criminals.

"Wouldn't a phone call have sufficed?" Horatio queried, still calm. It was impossible to tell if he was being tranquil to avoid aggravating the New Yorker further or if he was purposely trying to bait him with his infuriatingly calm nature.

They were starting to garner an audience, including Calleigh who hovered four feet away with a couple of other cops. She watched Detective Flack carefully, wondering if he had come to suspend Ridley. The blonde had wondered if the woman could really continue on with the case but she hadn't considered the possibility of her returning to New York, she didn't think Ridley could handle being made to abandon the case, and what if the killer followed her back? Calleigh didn't think Ridley's nightmare was going to end unsolved, their unknown foe seemed pretty determined that either he would be caught or Ridley would be fired or killed, maybe both.

"A phone call?" Flack touched his forehead briefly as if to calm himself before he glowered down at Horatio once more. "I knew Ruby, your most recent victim down here, I counted her as a friend," he snarled. "I've come here to see her buried and I'm going to make damn sure Ridley does the same. See maybe you don't know but Ridley's not good at honouring the dead."

"Guilt affects us all in different ways Detective Flack," Horatio responded smoothly.

"Enough evasion tactics Caine, where is she?"

"I'm right here Don."

Calleigh and Horatio both turned in surprise at the quiet voice. Ridley stood in front of the double doors in a scruffy, cream shirt that was half-tucked into her beltless jeans and half-hanging over them, her black shoes were unlaced, her hair was in need of a good brush and her make-up was light and barely present. The clothes she had thanks to Calleigh who, after ensuring they weren't a part of the active crime scene, had dropped them round to Speed's house yesterday for the young woman. The blonde had wanted to talk with her but she had been in the bathroom at the time and it became apparent that she wasn't going to come out while Calleigh was in the house.

"You look like shit," Flack murmured, a little taken back by her wan, exhausted and hollow eyed state.

"That's putting it mildly," she murmured.

"Ridley what are you doing here?" Horatio questioned tentatively. It was hard facing her again; he hadn't seen her since Ruby's house and feared that when he next did questions about Riddle would just burst from him. He had to know the truth.

"My case is still ongoing," Ridley retorted calmly.

"No, it's not," Flack answered bluntly before Horatio could say anything, "and you are mad to think otherwise. You fucked up Ridley, you fucked up really bad, why were you staying with Ruby huh? Didn't you think that would endanger her? My God Ridley wasn't Justin enough?!" The accusations came fast and sharp as Flack took a step towards her and pointed his finger at her accusingly. "You're coming back to New York and going on leave before anyone else dies!"

Ridley visibly flinched at his words but no tears came, her lips remained in a thin line and she folded her arms almost protectively. "You're right Don, I shouldn't have stayed with Ruby, I did it for selfish reasons, I didn't want to be alone in this city. I thought the killer had moved onto new territory, I didn't think he would make things personal and that was stupid. I'm not abandoning this case though, not until he is behind bars."

"Justin and Ruby deserve better than you on this case!" Flack snarled in a fury before he could help himself. How was she at work? Why wasn't she crying? Did she not feel grief? Did she not feel guilt? Damnit how could she get on like this just two days after her best friend's murder?

"Hey!" Calleigh snapped before she could help herself as she stepped forward to face Don. "The killer made it personal, you shouldn't! Ridley didn't force him to murder people close to her, if you assholes in New York had helped with the case maybe it wouldn't have come to this. Frankly, these victims had the best they could on this case because none of the rest of you wanted it! They deserve better than detectives who would rather let a serial killer run rampant than risk having their names tarred forever!"

Ridley looked at Calleigh in astonishment as she felt a surge of gratitude flood through her.

"Thank you Calleigh," Horatio interrupted at last though there was a small spark in his eyes that suggested he had rather enjoyed Calleigh's fiery interference. "Detective Flack I appreciate you do things differently in New York but here in Miami we share the blame and Calleigh makes a valid point, had someone else been on this case instead Detective Moon the deaths would have been different but they would still have been personal. You cannot blame Detective Moon because she got stuck with this case; no one else in your city was willing to help."

"Oh you've got this worked out nicely," Don growled at Ridley with an accusing glare, "your partner and your flatmate get killed and Miami doesn't think you're to blame?"

"I am to blame," Ridley answered softly as she looked back at him with a fragile calm, "I failed them both. I was in the house when Ruby died, I was there this time Don and it didn't make a damn bit of difference, he was in my room, painting the walls with her blood." She shuddered and clenched her fists tightly as she tried to suppress the memory. _Aren't you glad you didn't turn on the light?_ There was a flash of Ruby's bloody body.

"You...what?" Flack looked at Ridley with fresh surprise. "How..."

"She was drugged," Calleigh sprang to Ridley's defence again, "it was in the orange juice, either cleverly planned by someone who knew Ruby or done by Ruby herself."

"Did you even know Ruby?" Flack retorted as he glared at the blonde in disbelief. She was cute but her fierce glower ruined any attraction for him.

"She believed Detective Moon needed sleep," Horatio explained quietly, "even if Detective Moon did not share this belief. Her manner of kindness was strange but it was meant to be helpful, even if it may sadly have led to her own demise."

"Shit Ridley," Flack murmured as he shook his head, "Ruby did that to you? He was with you, in the same room?"

Ridley was trembling a lot now as she saw Ruby and Justin over and over again, their bloody images repeating through her mind as if on an endless loop. "Justin was there," she choked out.

"What?" Flack's eyes went wide as his face paled.

"A tape player," Horatio explained coolly, "our killer's personal touch, along with his Ace of Spades of course. We found it in the air vent yesterday." He turned to Ridley with a look of concern. "I was going to explain it to you today."

"A...a tape?" Ridley repeated dumbly.

"Detective Flack, we should discuss this in more private quarters," Horatio suggested.

"Right," Flack mumbled, his anger giving way to confusion. "I'm not here for the case," he added awkwardly before looking to Ridley again, this time with something akin to pity. "Ruby's funeral, I heard her parents arranged it for tomorrow, I'm here for it and you're coming too Ridley."

"I...her parents don't want me there," Ridley murmured.

Flack's rage returned swiftly, not just at Ridley's words but at her vacant expression, why didn't she care more? "Damnit Ridley you missed Justin's you won't miss this one! You might have been drugged or whatever but ultimately this is still on you, you chose to stay in her house knowing a serial killer who had killed your partner was here, you knew he could kill her too. The least you could do is go to the funeral."

She bowed her head as her trembling grew worse. "I didn't want to be alone," she murmured, "I...I've been alone, alone is vulnerable, no one knows where you are, no one comes looking..."

Calleigh felt her eyes dampen in sympathy for the woman and saw as Horatio's lip twitched slightly as his blue eyes burned into the young woman. The blonde shook her head slightly at her superior, pleading for him not to confess what he had learned, what they had all learned. 'She couldn't be alone,' she thought sympathetically, 'and who could blame her? Yet she's left paying the price and picking up the pieces because she had to have a friend nearby.'

"Ridley you're unstable," Flack muttered carelessly. "I get it," he added seriously, "I get that...well you've suffered a lot but you can't stay on this case, not in this state. Look we'll go to the funeral and back to New York together, okay? I'll get you help there, trauma counselling."

"No. I think...I need air." She turned away from them all and escaped to the car park, moving as if she were sleepwalking, awkward, slowly and confused.

Flack made to follow but found Horatio blocking him. "Calleigh, please take Detective Flack to my office and to get a coffee, he's had a long flight. Detective Flack, I will bring Detective Moon to my office and we can continue to discuss the case there." He turned without waiting for Flack's reply or Calleigh's protest and headed outside after the young woman.

Calleigh frowned, certain that nothing good could come of Ridley and Horatio being together, before she turned a moody look upon the New Yorker. "This way Detective Flack," she said with feigned politeness before gesturing towards the stairs.

She led the way upstairs and then into the public break room where she found Eric and Speed already at the coffee machine. "What are you doing?" she snapped heatedly.

"Which one of us?" Speed retorted dryly as he looked back at the woman warily.

Speed looked more unkempt and tired than usual and his sarcasm was blunter and bitterer. Eric had suggested tentatively that it was to do with Ridley and perhaps Speed needed more sleep only to have his friend snap at him that things were fine and Ridley was coping as well as someone with their friend's blood on their hands could cope.

Eric looked to the handsome strange behind the blonde questioningly, his look turning just a little defensive as he realised the man was three inches taller than him.

"You!" she snapped crossly. "Ridley is here Speed, why aren't you watching her?"

"Here?" he repeated in shock. He muttered a curse before setting down his cup. "I'm not her keeper Calleigh, okay?" he retorted defensively. "I had no way of knowing she was going to come here."

"Not her keeper?" the man behind Calleigh sneered in a thick New York accent. "Then why would you be watching her?"

"And you are?" Speed questioned dryly, not even slightly intimidated by the man.

Flack folded his arms and answered bluntly, "Detective Flack, Ridley's superior."

"He's here for Ruby's funeral," Calleigh explained with a dismissive wave of her left hand.

"And to bring Ridley home," Flack added frostily.

"Home to what?" Speed demanded as he felt a spark of anger. "You guys abandoned her!"

"No one abandoned her," Flack grumbled though his voice was slightly quieter. "Her flatmate was murdered while she was there; there is no way she is stable enough to continue on this case." He pondered why the dark haired man even cared, what was Ridley to him? 'These people should be relieved I'm here,' he thought wearily, 'I take her home and I take half the drama with me.'

"Stable enough? That's unfair," Eric chirped up as he looked at the New Yorker angrily. "What cop would cope with their friend being murdered by the same killer they're after? The guy makes things personal, this case goes to someone else and their friends are next."

"Oh come on," Flack protested as his blue gaze flickered over to Eric, "you guys can't seriously still want her down here? I saw her downstairs, she's exhausted, shaking and babbling, that is not someone who should be working any cases."

Calleigh stepped forward and turned round, putting herself with Eric and Speed, an intimidating team facing Detective Flack. "We take care of our own down here," Calleigh answered firmly as she folded her arms, "and Ridley is one of our own."

Flack rolled his blue eyes in disgust though part of him wondered if his anger was mostly guilt driven. "Ridley is NYPD, not Miami-Dade," he reminded them coolly, "and I am taking her back to New York for her own damn good."

"What do you know about what's good for her?" Speed snapped before he could help it. "You didn't help her on the case, you didn't help her when her partner was murdered and you were more than happy to throw her to the wolves down here when the guy you failed to stop came down here."

"And who are you again?" Detective Flack retorted hotly. "I helped, I visited the families of Justine and Riley, two kids who died because Ridley and Justin got too damn close, I listened to them demand Ridley and Justin's heads because their kids died over their names, I stopped them from getting Ridley and Justin fired. Hell, I was the one who ensured Ridley didn't get forced into resigning over Justin's death."

"Well done," Speed answered sardonically, "but did you actually help Ridley?"

"Hey fuck you beach boy you don't know anything about this, none of you do. Think you're experts after a few months? If Ridley was any good for this case it would be solved by now and regardless of her hindering or helping, you lot haven't made any more progress than New York so don't act like we did nothing!"

"Let's go to Horatio's room," Calleigh injected swiftly as she sensed the rage building in Speed and Eric, she felt it herself as she itched to scream at the man in defence of Ridley. "There's no point arguing about it. Ridley has done everything she can on this case Detective Flack and we are determined to keep her here, you can't punish her over Ruby, she has suffered enough, you force her back to New York and it will make everything ten times worse for her. She will feel like she failed and can't change that, her despair and guilt will only get worse."

"I know," Flack snapped dismissively, "but the press have had a field day with her, her reputation is in tatters, and my superiors don't want their reputation sullied anymore by association. Look, if she doesn't come back she's toast, they want her badge and there will be nothing I can say or do to stop that. It was hard enough even persuading them to allow her to return and keep her badge. They will hang her over this, fair or not."

"It's not fair," Calleigh snapped as her blue eyes burned with fury, "she has stuck with this case, through all the bad publicity, through all the abuse from friends and families of the victims, all the blame games, and her partner's murder, she's just kept going, that should be rewarded."

Flack threw his hands up in the air and shook his head. "Out of my hands."

"You're an ass," Speed informed him coolly.

Flack pointed at him and snapped, "hey Ridley is my friend and Ruby and Justin were my friends! I want them avenged too but Ridley has failed in spades trying to do that."

"Oh good choice of words there," Speed sneered sardonically, "spades."

"What is your problem?" Flack grumbled. His blue eyes sparked with a sudden realisation and he gave a sly grin that only infuriated Speed further. "Oh I get it, she slept with you right? Yeah, idiot with a badge and a gun, that would be about right. Well I've news for you, you're nothing special to her, Ridley sleeps with cops."

Speed's reaction was instantaneous. Maybe it was just the fact that he felt Flack hadn't done as much as he claimed for Ridley, maybe it was his obnoxious New Yorker attitude or maybe it was his implication that Ridley slept around like a tramp, when in fact the reality of Ridley's promiscuous behaviour was something much deeper and more twisted than that. Whatever the reason, the punch happened quickly before Speed even realised what he was doing.

"Speed!" Calleigh squealed in alarm as Flack staggered back with a cry of surprise as he was hit square in the face.

Eric immediately moved in between the two men as several curses were exchanged and Flack scrambled to retaliate. "You guys are nuts!" Flack exclaimed heatedly. "You've only known her a handful of months, I've known her for years!"

"You don't know her at all," Speed replied icily.

"Let's go to Horatio's office Detective Flack," Calleigh injected, "this isn't solving anything."

The blonde practically pushing the cursing New Yorker out of the door whilst Eric made sure Speed couldn't follow.

* * *

Horatio followed Ridley as she headed out of the car park on foot, walking along the main path as if in a daze. He considered stopping her but was curious about where she was going and so he followed just a few feet behind for twenty minutes until she turned to the left and headed over to a low wall that kept some wild grass and palm trees at bay. She sat on the low wall facing the trees silently, looking through them to the constant traffic of vehicles and people, all of them continuing about their lives fearlessly thinking their minor woes were much bigger problems than they really were.

She didn't react when Horatio took a seat beside her, having been well aware of him following her. He sat with a small, amicable gap between them and rested his hands on his knees before looking to her calmly from behind his sunglasses. "It's only been two days, why were you at work?" he pried quietly.

"I have to," she murmured, "I have to keep going, I need to, need to keep busy, need to find answers."

"Ridley you're suffering from post traumatic stress even if you aren't aware of it and you're exhausted and grieving, you need to step back for a moment."

Ridley looked at him fearfully and queried, "do you want me to go back to New York?"

"No," he replied gently, "that is the last thing I want. Ridley I just don't want you burning yourself up over this, you can't focus properly without some rest and time."

"He won't let me have time," she mumbled. "So Justin...I really did hear him?"

Horatio nodded sombrely.

"Then he really did say it was my fault," she realised hoarsely.

"No," Horatio protested quickly. "The tape was edited, it's hard to tell to what extent but we have been over it several times and it was skipped between the words it's and your, Ridley if I was to guess the missing word I would be confident that it was not. Justin was saying it's not your fault."

Ridley shook her head. "No, you can't know that. Why...why did they have his voice anyway?" The trembling started anew as she realised the truth. "Oh God they recorded him then...his last words..."

Horatio nodded slowly. "I'm afraid it does seem that way."

"I..." She shook her head repeatedly. "What will he make me yell?"

"Ridley don't talk like that," Horatio retorted seriously as he looked at her firmly. "I won't let that happen." He paused seeing the unspoken accusation that flickered in her eyes before she replaced it with fear. "I didn't know you were out there," the words came out quietly and calmly before he could help it. "Riddle, believe me I would have searched day and night all over that town if I had known, I would have never left if I had known."

SLAP! Ridley struck out hard, stunning herself and the Lieutenant as her right hand cut across his cheek sharp enough to sting. She stood up as a pant exhaled from her and snarled, "seven days! Seven days of Hell! Two of not knowing, two when he was hiding from you, fearing you, two when I was alone, starving, dying, thinking I had been forgotten. I had been! You found Flick! You found her! Her hero, she sung your praises night and day, her rescuer in the dark! Where was mine?" she snapped savagely. "Where was my rescuer? You found her! Why did you find her and not me?" She started sobbing, her shoulders bouncing up and down in rhythm with her cries.

Horatio stood up slowly and tugged off his sunglasses to face the young woman properly. "Ridley I didn't know you were out there. I knew about Felicity."

"She tried to tell you! Why didn't you get it? Why?" She shoved him hard in the chest with both hands and he made no effort to stop her. The sobs came louder and faster, the woman's chest tightened with each one and it took all the energy she could muster just to keep standing upright and facing him. "She tried to tell you and you left!"

"I know, I didn't understand," he confessed as his eyes filled with pain. "Ridley, how did you escape?"

"I...He finally came back...he was going to kill me, he tried..." She reached up to the gold coin necklace and clutched it tightly before dropping her hand once more. "I...I got the knife, I hurt him bad and he fled...I used the knife..." She paused and swallowed hard. "I did it, I got out myself, I picked the locks with the knife and I got out." She looked at Horatio accusingly before the tears came again. "I found Flick, she was saved! She was found! I hated her, God I hated her, she went on and on about this wonderful detective, he found her underground against all the odds, he gave her sunglasses because she couldn't see and swore to protect her. I hated him too! I hated him more than anyone, I hated you! You didn't do your job! You didn't find me!"

"Ridley I am more sorry than you can ever know, I should have known what she meant by Riddle. I didn't know you needed found but I swear I won't let you down again. Trust me this time Ridley."

"When Detective Taylor said I had to come to Miami and gave your name as the man I would be working with I was sick, I vomited all night. I came here swearing that I would tell you, that you would know you had failed but then I realised I failed too, I failed so many people... I became a detective so I could protect myself and so that I could find the people like me who everyone forgot but I failed. I hated you so much, you found Felicity, why not me? You didn't even try to find me, this perfect detective, Felicity thought you were a hero, but you couldn't be mine... God it's not fair." She clenched her teeth and swallowed back fresh sobs. "If you had found me I would have turned out better! I would have had faith! I would have done better! Justin wouldn't be dead!"

"Ridley you turned out brilliantly, believe me, you are a great detective and neither Justin nor Ruby's deaths are your doing." Horatio took a step towards her and she instinctively took one back. "Let's finish the case together, and let me promise you now that I won't let anyone else hurt you."

She shook her head once more in disbelief. "You don't help people, you didn't help me, you didn't help me," she choked out.

"I know," he admitted, "but I will this time, I know you're here this time Ridley." He held out a hand but was not surprised when she ignored it. "Let's go back," he suggested calmly.

She rubbed at her eyes roughly with one hand turning her skin red and nodded.

They headed back in silence, Ridley purposely keeping a few steps ahead of the redhead. Horatio knew he could easily match her pace, indeed even surpass it but he allowed her, her privacy on the walk back instead. 'Calleigh is going to kill me,' he thought dryly. 'Did I push her to hard? She's been looking at me this whole time as the man who failed her. We have to solve this case or I remain the man who failed her and worse she remains as failure too in her eyes.'

When they reached the Miami-Dade headquarters they found Speed searching about the car park with mild concern. His brown eyes looked to Horatio accusingly when he spotted him and Ridley. He hastened up to them and took in Ridley's puffy eyed, quivering state. He reached out a hand and gripped her right arm firmly. "I'm taking you home, no arguments," he addressed her with a serious stare.

She nodded weakly, too upset and tired to consider Detective Flack impatiently waiting for her.

Speed turned Ridley in the direction of his car, pausing when he felt Horatio's hand at his shoulder. He turned back to his superior who was giving him a stern look. "Keep both eyes on her Speed," Horatio ordered before he slipped his sunglasses back on.

Speed wondered if it was an admonishment or advice. "I will," he muttered before shrugging Horatio's hand off. He wondered what the redhead had said to the woman as he herded her towards his car, had they talked about Ridley being Riddle? He hoped not but he wouldn't put it past Horatio. As he slid into the front seat beside her he looked at curiously wondering morbidly how long she had suffered as a prisoner of a rapist, how she had escaped and how she had coped after. He banished the thoughts from his head when her weary grey-eyes rolled over to him as she wondered why he hadn't started up the car.

"You haven't eaten in a while," he murmured, "let's get some takeaway and then you and I are going to discuss why I had to punch your boss."

Ridley blinked at him in astonishment. "You punched Don?"

"Yep." Speed started up the engine at last. "But you know how it is," he added sardonically, "sometimes you just feel like punching someone."

Ridley flushed faintly at the reminder. "Yeah," she murmured, "sometimes people need punched."

Speed shook his head chidingly as he pulled out of the car park but chose not to retort.

* * *

_Yay more Flack! Sorry Flack fans, I know he's mean in this chapter but it's all out of love and misunderstanding really. I love Flack as a character btw! I've always had it in my head than in New York he, Ridley and Justin were good friends, and Ruby for a while too, so it just seemed right that he would come for Ruby's funeral and that New York would react to Ridley losing yet another friend to the killer while on the case._

_As always thank you for your lovely reviews and please keep them coming!_


	17. Chapter 17- Friends and Enemies

"Where's Ridley?" Calleigh and Don demanded at the same time before exchanging a glower with each other.

Horatio glanced from one to the other, his expression once more concealed by his sunglasses. It was part of his reason for wearing them, although he had almost become a master at hiding his emotions from his face it was nice to have the extra help, especially in situations like this when he was frankly too tired and stressed to make the effort to keep a poker face. He wasn't sure right now who was going to give him the most trouble, the obviously suspicious blonde or the New Yorker whose rage was getting close to the boil again.

Detective Flack was leaning against his wall rubbing his reddened jaw pointedly whilst Calleigh was standing near Horatio's desk with her arms folded. Horatio pondered what exactly had happened to Flack in his absence and wondered if it explained why Speed was so eager to escort Ridley back to his house.

"Detective Speedle is escorting her to a secure premise where she can rest," Horatio answered at last.

"His secure premises," Flack snarled quickly, recalling how Calleigh had called the man who had punched him 'Speed' it didn't take a genius to guess that Speed came from Speedle. "I knew it," he sneered with a shake of his head. "I suppose no one's going to tell me where he lives are they?" he queried dryly.

"Not if you're going to give her some more abuse," Calleigh answered waspishly.

"Detective Flack, my team and I have a lot of evidence to look over," Horatio said calmly, "you are welcome to stay or you are welcome to leave. Either way you need to give it a few hours before someone might be willing to divulge where Detective Moon is, and even then that will only be with her consent. I understand you wish for her to accompany you to Miss Thibodeaux's funeral tomorrow but it is entirely up to Ridley if she does that or not."

Flack stood upright with fresh fury in his vibrant blue eyes, he gave Horatio a hard look as he contemplated his retort. I'm not the bad guy," he said hotly, "not here and not in New York, I'm the last one supporting Ridley in New York and I am the last friend she has, there was only her, Justin, Ruby and me, no one else wanted to know after a while."

"You are not the last friend she has," Calleigh snapped angrily before she could help it, "she has friends here Detective Flack."

"She has work colleagues," he spat back as he gave the blonde a dirty look, "she hasn't been here long enough to make friends and trust me, in a matter of months you will all be sick of the scandal, bad press and death too and you will want to send her packing to New York. I'm trying to take her home before she has to deal with expulsion, okay? This isn't just for your own good; it's for hers too because I don't think she can deal with a whole new set of colleagues turning on her and casting her out."

"Don't try to justify your guilt but assuming everyone is like NYPD," Calleigh retorted swiftly.

Flack just shook his head and turned his attention back on Horatio. "It's been two months," he reminded him, "what happens when you hit Christmas and there are families torn apart then by this guy? When everyone in town is at your door demanding to know why you still haven't stopped this? Blaming you for the holidays being ruined forever, and cursing you out because you've let the same detective run this show despite her having failed to solve it in eight months? I know it's not entirely her fault, I know she got screwed over by NYPD, I have never denied that, but you keep letting her go on with this and it will only get worse."

"Detective Flack go to a hotel, rest, get a drink and calm down," Horatio advised. "I understand that you are Ridley's friend despite giving appearances to the contrary but in Miami we fail and succeed together, Ridley's failure is our failure and if I send her back to New York because we haven't got our killer yet I may as well disband and banish my entire team too because they will be just as accountable for the failure as Ridley. We are getting closer, we have more on this guy than ever and you are going to have to trust that and give Miami and Ridley time."

"There is no more time," Flack grumbled as he headed for the door, "if she's not back in New York with me after the funeral then they're taking her badge, those were the terms." He exited the room and slammed the door hard without waiting for a response.

"Horatio we can't let that happen," Calleigh was quick to protest, "if she goes back to New York it will only make things worse for her."

"I know Calleigh," he murmured softly. "Let's go to the lab and see what Eric has and after I'll make some calls, I promise." He turned and led the way out of his office and towards the staircase Detective Flack had just stormed down.

"Another thing," Calleigh said pointedly as they headed down to the lab, "what did you and Ridley talk about outside?"

Horatio felt her clear, almost grey, blue eyes boring into him and knew she would not be fobbed off. "The past," he admitted.

"Horatio why?" Calleigh demanded angrily as they neared the glass doors that led into the laboratory.

"Because thanks to something I failed to do fourteen years ago Detective Moon has no hope, in herself, in this case, in us and I wanted her to know that she at least shouldn't feel guilty, that she turned out brilliantly despite everything she has suffered and that I won't fail her this time. If she doesn't at least believe in herself and her own abilities as a detective then our killer wins and that's as much as my doing as his."

"So you think it's okay that you brought up her old trauma the day before her friend's funeral because you're feeling guilty?" Calleigh snapped. "Horatio it could put her over the edge."

"I know Calleigh," he confessed quietly as he pushed open the door, "but she came down here knowing I was the detective that failed her, it's been on her mind this whole time just building and building, it needed to come out."

"H, Calleigh," Eric greeted, his brown eyes lingering on Calleigh as he did, "the DNA results are back."

"And?"

"Miss Thibodeaux was raped that night," Eric admitted darkly, "Alexx said there was enough bruising and blood to suggest it wasn't consensual but the guy used a condom so there were no seamen to help us. However, there was a pubic hair and blood on Ruby that wasn't hers."

"Could it be the boyfriend's?" Horatio queried curiously as he tugged off his shades.

Eric shook his head. "No, his name is Brian Rivers and he's on our system for vandalism. This DNA doesn't match the DNA we previously got from the Kinskey household and Detective Silver."

"Then who does it match Eric?" Horatio queried carefully, seeing the spark in Eric's eyes that suggestion a turning point at long last.

"The DNA in the blood you got from Ridley's right hand," Eric replied calmly, "and that's all we know about it, whoever he is, and it is a he, he's not on the system."

"But Ridley knows him," Calleigh remarked in shock.

"Or at the very least she encountered him that night," Horatio concluded. "Good work Eric, both of you keep going with this. Ruby was killed with a jagged weapon, now we've confirmed from the white flakes, glass and water found in her throat that a snow globe was used, specifically a New York one that we found the pieces of, but that didn't kill her, that was obviously for theatrics and possibly another attempt to frame Ridley. Our killer has always used something out of the ordinary, get on it now guys, these weapons are rare, he's getting them from somewhere and it's going to be a place with security footage. I'm going to ring Ridley and find out exactly who she was with that night before she met you guys."

He turned away from the pair, tugged out his phone and exited out of the laboratory.

* * *

Ridley sat down her half-eaten carton of rice and looked up at Speed curiously. They were sitting on his couch eating takeaway again, it was starting to become familiar and Ridley was reluctant to get used to it, not when Detective Flack was threatening to snatch her away from it all. "So what happened?" she queried curiously.

Speed was equally uncomfortable with the growing familiarity of Ridley in his house because he knew a big part of him liked it and that scared him just a little. "Detective Flack doesn't seem like a very supportive boss," Speed retorted coolly.

"He is," Ridley defended calmly, "it's just...Justin and he were very close, so he takes the case very personally."

"And blames you for it?" Speed guessed sardonically.

"A little," Ridley admitted.

Speed could see there was something she was holding back and Ridley could see the same thing in his brown eyes. "You didn't punch him just for that," she said with a pointed stare, "I mean you shared his sentiments once and he liked Ruby too," she murmured, "we all hung out in New York." She stiffened at the memory and suppressed a shudder. It felt like years ago that they had partied in clubs in New York, drank in bars, snacked in cafes and wandered through the park on several occasions. "I only knew Justin for two years," she admitted softly, "Don knew him for ten, maybe more, we got the case because of me, because I was the one from Sleepy Hollow with her birthday on Halloween. It was Don who paired me up with Justin, if he hadn't done that..."

"Ridley it's not your fault or his, and Detective Silver stuck with the case, he could have dropped it, he could have moved on but he didn't, he made his choice in the end."

Ridley nodded wearily. "You're right, I know it and Don knows it too deep down but it's easy to blame someone else, right?" She looked up at him sorrowfully. "The press blames me, Ruby's parents blame me and Don does too sometimes but he doesn't mean it, he worries too I think, maybe blames himself for not doing more when Justin and I got landed with the case. We were friends too once." She paused and pushed back some of her tangled dark hair from her face. "He hated me for not going to Justin's funeral but I couldn't, I failed Justin I had no right to be there, Don didn't get that, he thinks I was avoiding Justin's wife Ellie," she shrugged listlessly, "maybe I was doing that too. She knew Justin...well she knew he saw other women but she didn't know about us, but Don did."

"Yeah, he said you slept with cops," Speed confessed moodily.

Ridley's eyes widened just a little as she sat upright. "Oh."

"That's why I punched him," he admitted with a small frown.

Ridley bowed her head slightly and dug her nails into the couch as her mind replayed numerous images of Justin, Justin grinning at her as he tried to persuade her into getting a muffin at a cafe, Justin shaking her as he scolded her severely for pushing him out of the way of falling debris and almost getting crushed by herself, Justin stroking her hair when she woke up in bed beside him and Justin dead, cold and bloody on a morgue table in a photograph.

"_He's dead Ridley, he's dead." Justin's voice, it didn't sound real, no, he had to be lying._

_She looked at the corpse in terror and disbelief as she couldn't stop shaking. It couldn't be true, monsters didn't die so easily. So many years of fear and nightmares, all gone, just like that?_

Samuel Hawkes had died at approximately half three on a Monday afternoon, that Monday night Ridley had finally allowed Justin to push the boundaries of their relationship and welcomed his advances as he played it off as a way of consoling the crying Ridley but also as a way of accepting her eternal gratitude. It was ironic given Ridley had thought she would be done with cops' beds that night now that Hawkes was dead but Justin had been persuasive. Part of her wondered if it had been a form of blackmail on Justin's part but she dismissed the thought just as quickly, for all his bad habits Justin had cared about her, she knew that.

"He was right," she murmured calmly as she met Speed's moody brown stare. "I...I should explain."

"Ruby said you didn't want to be alone that night you and I met in the club," Speed confessed, "she told me you were scared and thought I could keep you safe."

Ridley blanched at his words and despite looking embarrassed she held his gaze. "When did she tell you that?"

"A few nights ago when I left you back after the wedding," he admitted. "I didn't say anything to you about it because I didn't want another argument. Ruby was right, wasn't she?"

Ridley nodded and bowed her head as she gave a sad smile. "Yes, she knew me better than anyone and she probably told you that about me to protect me, it made sense to her I'm sure, she did a lot of odd things to protect me I think."

"She did," Speed assured, "in a messed up way but yeah, she said she didn't want you getting screwed up by another cop."

Ridley looked up at him again with a bitter smile. "It makes me sound real good doesn't it? The cop who sleeps around with cops for protection."

"What do you need protecting from?" he pried with a serious stare. He knew it was wrong pushing for a confession instead of admitting what he already knew but he was certain Horatio had already pulled one out of her and he wanted to hear it from Ridley if only so he could stop feeling guilty for knowing something so terrible and personal about her without her knowing that he knew.

She started shaking again and shook her head violently as she clutched at her bare arms tightly, creating red groves from her fingers. "From people that kill my friend in the room next to me and then come into my room while I'm sleeping and paint the walls with her blood," she choked out harshly, "people who give me birthday cards with the corpses of people who share my dead friend's name, people who made him scream and shout to me while they tortured him, people who will take me and hurt me over and over, and no one knows I'm there. No one knows that I'm trapped, fuck!" She turned away from her sharply and hugged her stomach tight as she doubled over and suppressed the urge to vomit. Just moments ago Horatio had admitted that he had finally figured out who she was, that Riddle was a person, a very real person who he had never looked for.

His words had brought back glimpses of it, banishing Ruby from her mind briefly and now here it all was again, horrible memories filling her head in a mad rush. Ruby's body, Justin's body, Justin's screams, Felicity, vacant eyed, bruised and scarred but safe, warm, found. "I don't want taken again," she sobbed out, "I don't want locked up in the dark, unable to move, unable to breathe, like that bride, in a box, trapped, and no one looking for you. Trapped in the dark, it's not night, it's not day, there's no time, it just goes on and on and he comes, in the shadows, he always comes."

"Who?"

"The monster, Felicity's stepfather, Samuel Hawkes." She turned to face Speed suddenly, almost accusingly. She could in his eyes disgust but no surprise. She murmured, "you all knew something about it, right? There's a way you looked at me in Ruby's house," she commented softly, "all of you, it wasn't just pity over Ruby, Calleigh looked horrified and Eric looked like he wanted to be sick and you, you looked so mad and sad at the same time, it was strange. What happened? How did it all come together? Horatio told me today that he was sorry, as if that means anything, he was meant to find me you know but he didn't, he failed, he found Felicity and abandoned me. I've been here for months but he only realised in Ruby's house, what was it?"

"The sunglasses," Speed confessed quietly. He didn't know what to say, he knew it hadn't been wise pushing Ridley but he had to get it out there, that he knew, that they all knew. "You had sunglasses in your room, his."

"Right," she choked out with a bitter chuckle, "those goddamn glasses. He gave those to Felicity, she couldn't see after being in the dark for so long, couldn't handle the sun, I couldn't either but no one was around to help me. I stumbled half-blind through a field, terrified that he would come back, I didn't know where I was or where to go, I could barely even walk but I did it, all alone, she got carried, she got an ambulance and him escorting her the whole way, the nightmare ended for her but it never ended for me. We both headed to Sleepy Hollow after, then she left for an aunt's house out of state, she left me the glasses and her necklace, she didn't want the memories, she got rescued, she got to move on."

"Her necklace?" Speed quipped calmly. The professional cop mask was on, he knew if he showed any emotion it would be too much, if he even paused to think too deeply about her words, to picture what she was describing to notice how difficult it was for her not to shake he would crack, he would express his anger or sorrow or both or try to console her and she would break and he wasn't sure he could help with that.

"Stars," Ridley murmured as she reached up to her bloodstained coin necklace and tugged it viciously, "golden stars to hide the scars." She started laughing and it quickly turned into sobs. She dropped her hand and sniffed. "I'm sorry Tim, Ruby left with Brian that night and I was scared of being alone in a place I didn't know with a killer on the loose who had killed my partner. I used you, I did, Flack's right about that but...I like you Tim, and I didn't mean to mess up so much. I didn't mean to get Ruby killed." She trembled as she felt a lump in her throat that made it harder to swallow down her sobs. "Or Justin or everyone else, so many victims now. I didn't want anyone here to know the truth, I thought I could start anew, but I fell into old habits fast and it all came out. The cop who can't protect herself, the cop who got her own friend killed."

Speed broke protocol and leaned forward and pressed a hand against the side of her head tenderly. "Hey, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pushed for an explanation but I wanted you to know I knew about...Hawkes. I understand Ridley, I get your fear and I know you like me, I like you too but I'm okay with you wanting someone to look out for you too, I don't mind being that person right now. You've been through a lot and for the last time, you did not get Ruby killed." He was about to pull her into a hug and risk the breakdown when her phone starting ringing.

Ridley tugged it out, looked at the screen and wiped away some of her tears before flipping it open. "Hello?"

"Ridley, I apologise for the intrusion so soon but I have a question that needs an urgent answer," Horatio greeted her calmly.

"Yes?"

"Who were you with the night Ruby died? Specifically, who got blood on your hand?"

"My hand?" Ridley blinked down at her left hand dumbly and then recalled Horatio swabbing them both. "Will Maguire," she confessed as her eyes widened, "I punched him, why?"

"Ruby was raped the night she died," Horatio confessed bluntly, "and we found a pubic hair and blood on her that matched the blood on your hand."

"What?"

"Give me all the information you can on Mr. Maguire," Horatio retorted.

Ridley started shaking again as she recalled Will pushing her down onto the rollercoaster, forcing her down with the bar and smiling the whole time. Will's hand about her waist at the carnival, Will kissing her just briefly on Halloween. She turned suddenly and vomited hard over the edge of the sofa.

"Shit," Speed cursed dryly before he snatched the phone from her as he heard Horatio calling out in confusion. "What's going on H?" he demanded. "Whatever you just said made Ridley sick."

"She punched a man the night she was at the carnival," Horatio explained dryly, "that same man's DNA is on Ruby, including a pubic hair that suggests he was the one who raped her, we can't prove it though Speed, we can prove he had sex with her but there's nothing to suggest he's definitely the one who raped her, nor can we link him to her death. We need more but now that we have a name we can look for more and we can get people on him without him knowing."

"Shit," Speed repeated again. "Well look, he was about five feet six, toned and fair with brown hair and blue eyes, get after him and I'll learn what I can about him from Ridley."

"Alright Speed; I'll ring when we have news."

"Right." Speed hung up the phone and then hastened to the kitchen. He returned with an old, stained basin and a glass of water. He pushed the basin where Ridley was vomiting, sat the glass of water on the coffee table beside her and then sat beside her, slouched forward with his hands through his hair as he sighed. He waited until the puking stopped, then dropped his hands and turned to Ridley with a weary look. "Take a drink of water," he advised, "then tell me about the guy, just facts Ridley don't start assuming anything."

"That bastard," she choked out hatefully, "that disgusting, evil bastard."

"Ridley," Speed chided, "this doesn't help. Just the facts."

* * *

Detective Flack was relieved when Ridley swerved her Mustang into the graveyard and finally parked it, albeit wonkily. "I forgot how fun your driving was," he commented sarcastically.

Ridley didn't respond to the jibe. The young woman was pasty white and soaked in a thin sheen of sweat that Don didn't think had anything to do with the warm climate. He reminded himself that it was only three days ago her best friend had been murdered while she was in the house, drugged and completely unaware. He could only imagine how terrified she must be to realise how vulnerable she had been. He thought grimly of Horatio's words about Justin being recorded screaming and shouting as he was tortured and knew if it was constantly playing on his mind it was definitely playing on Ridley's, the killer could have done anything and everything he had wanted to her the night of Ruby's death but he hadn't because this was all just a sick game to him.

As Don unbuckled his seatbelt and stepped out of the car he thought of the man they had under surveillance, one Will Maguire, a friend of Ruby's and her boyfriend's who had left some compromising DNA on her, enough to be lifted for questioning about her rape but not enough to prove rape, just sex, and certainly not enough to prove murder. Horatio doubted it immensely that Will had nipped in that evening with Ruby, had sex with her and then left leaving another male to come along, rape and kill her, though he was certainly willing to buy that Will was an accomplice but not their main murderer. The lieutenant had decided to take a risk by not bringing Will in just yet while his team searched frantically for evidence to suggest his link to the murders.

Ridley stepped out of the car briskly, locked it and looked up at Don wearily. They paired walked silently up the path, passing numerous headstones and statues of various ages, some with ornaments in front of them, others with withered flowers or coloured stones. Ridley suppressed a shudder as she deliberately looked ahead, she loathed graveyards, they were too eerie and too crowded yet so empty.

They headed towards a small group of black clothed mourners on the left. Ridley slowed her pace a fraction as she felt her nerves building, she could just make out Ruby's parents talking with someone at the edge of the burial plot, and Brian to the left being consoled by some friends. She knew the moment she reached them the hostility and the accusations would begin.

Don seemed to sense Ridley's nerves, he grasped her right hand tightly and looked down at her firmly. "You're doing this," he said sternly, "they give you any shit and I'll defend you, alright?"

He said it with such gruffness it almost sounded like a threat but Ridley found it comforting in a way. "Thanks Don," she murmured.

When they reached the mourners Ridley's eyes widened as she realised she recognised the man facing Ruby's parents, the golden-red hair was a dead giveaway. Horatio turned as if on cue, dressed in a black suit with a grey tie and his ever present sunglasses. He approached Ridley and Don calmly with a flicker of a smile. "Good to see you again Detective Flack," he greeted politely.

"What are you doing here?" Don demanded with a hint of hostility in his voice and suspicion in his blue eyes.

"Paying my respects," Horatio retorted calmly, "I knew Ruby only briefly but she left an impression." He tilted his head down slightly so that his eyes were visible above his shades as he gave Ridley a serious stare. "I was also explaining to Mr and Mrs Thibodeaux how Ridley has given so much to this case and how despite almost suffering certain death herself just three days ago she has made every effort to throw herself back into her work to see her friend's killer brought to justice."

Ridley turned her head to the left, unable to express any gratitude towards the redhead. Her wounds were simply too raw and her memories far too fresh now thanks to his and Speed's probing. She could barely even keep it together right now, she had chewed her nails to the skin, she was functioning only thanks to a serious amount of caffeine, her eyes burned from exhaustion, her head was pounding and buzzing at the same time, she was warm then cold in a matter of seconds and she could see as she looked at the shiny black coffin ready for burial was Ruby's bloody, torn corpse. It was part of the reason she had missed the funeral ceremony itself, the image had kept repeating on her, mixing with images of Justin and then of Hawkes, leering at her, cutting her, penetrating her and worse. Speed had found her in the grey morning in his bathroom, on the floor beside a watery puddle of her own sick, nails raked through her wild hair as tears streaked her cheeks and she babbled apologies to Ruby. He had tried to dissuade her from going to the funeral, even argued with her, prompting in several curses before she had banished him from his own bathroom, and cleaned herself quickly before changing and hurrying out of the house before he could stop her.

The burial service took half an hour but to Ridley it felt like hours. She stood beside Don, clasping his hand with her own sweaty palm, tightening it when Brian's glowers got too much, then again when they started lowering the coffin. Her tears fell freely then, it was impossible to imagine Ruby in that box. Instead she caught a flash of Mrs Silver, clawing frantically at a box, dragging her nails through the wood and screaming frantically as her oxygen started to run out. It wasn't how it had happened, Ridley knew that but it didn't stop the image, it was her worst fear after all, being confined in a small space, being trapped, being buried alive.

"NO!" The protest came out before she could help it and suddenly she was on her knees as if ready to throw herself after the coffin. It was Don's suddenly iron grasp that stopped her from falling forward after the coffin as he looked at her in angry alarm. "She's trapped," Ridley choked out in horror, "trapped in the dark and no one knows."

"Ridley knock it off," Don scorned quietly as he tried to rouse her to her feet.

"Mad cow," Brian grumbled, "it's all your fault."

"Trapped in the dark and no one's looking," Ridley choked out as she allowed Don to pull her back to her feet.

"Ridley shut up already," Don ordered.

The coffin continued being lowered until it was finally down, then Ruby's now half-hysterical mother threw down flowers and then the dirt started being shovelled on.

"Rest in peace," Don murmured dryly.

"There's no peace in the dark," Ridley commented hoarsely.

"There's no peace with you," Don retorted sardonically before he pulled her away before Brian could offer up another insult.

So it was done, Ruby was finally gone and buried. The rest of the day past dismally for Ridley, Don chewed her out over a coffee, warned her about losing her badge and ordered her to come on his flight with him back to New York. He admitted gruffly that Horatio had evidently pulled some strings and bought her some extra time but he warned that it wouldn't last. In the end, Ridley refused Don and instead bid him a bitter farewell before she drove to the Miami-Dade headquarters.

It was there that Calleigh greeted her with her a comforting hug before chiding her for coming to work and Speed made her a coffee before scolding her as well and Eric offered his condolences before urging Speed to present his evidence. After hours of going through footage of the night the slasher smile girls had been killed he had finally struck gold, footage of Will talking with the girls briefly on the street before walking on, it was circumstantial at best but then he had looked through the footage of the store rooms where the clown statue had been stolen from and there was Will again, caught outside the place parking his car, again nothing suspicious, which was why it had been ignored but with everything else it was enough. Will was involved.

* * *

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	18. Chapter 18- Distracting Confessions

Horatio wasn't surprised when Will Maguire lawyered up but he was a little troubled when he refused to speak to anyone except Ridley. It was a conflict of interests, he had went on several dates with Ridley after all and was now linked to the murder of her best friend, it would be impossible for Ridley to claim neutrality, no matter how professional she was and the redhead was not so sure that she would keep her cool if she went near the man.

The young woman was currently seething over the evidence with Calleigh, banned from the interrogation room despite her arguing.

The interrogation room was unpleasant, square, grey and simple with two desks pushed together with two hard, plastic chairs on either side and two unpleasant white bars of light to illuminate the windowless room.

"Will it's simple," Horatio said calmly, "we know you were with Ruby the night she died, we know you had sex with her, we know you talked to Cathy Blakeley and Rachel Woods the night they were killed and we know you were at Creek Storage around the time the clown statue used in the Kinskeys case was stolen. It doesn't look good Will, it's enough for a warrant and it's enough for the press to eat you alive."

The brown haired male leaned back in his seat feigning calm but both Horatio and Speed could see the growing unease in his eyes. Horatio knew Will was just the accessory and he wasn't willing to be offered to the press and public as the main killer. His blue eyes flickered across the table to Speed with an unfavourable look. "I will only talk to Ridley," he repeated flatly. For the past hour it was all he had said.

"Why?" Speed quipped calmly. "Do you think she's going to make it easier for you? You raped her best friend."

"That's speculation," the lawyer, a sour faced woman in her early forties, snapped heatedly. She was starting to look her composure despite her best efforts, they had been in the dark, warm room for over an hour now and everyone was starting to get fed up though Horatio hid it best.

"She's the cop and it's her case," Will answered pointedly. "Besides, it's not completely unprofessional, I only felt her up a couple of times." He flashed Speed an unpleasant smile. "It was on her birthday but she ditched me for a cop."

Speed stood up suddenly and glowered down at the younger man. "You know what, don't say anything, we've enough to let the press tear you apart."

"It's all just speculation," the lawyer argued again, "you are trying to fit my client into several crimes simply for being in the area around the time, it's not enough. Several other people were at the same night club as those girls and several people visited the storage place."

"Only Will's DNA turned up on Ruby," Horatio retorted. "You know that's enough Will, enough for a warrant, enough for you to be charged for rape and enough for us to hold you and believe me we will keep digging until we turn up more. I'm betting we can tie you to that statue, you left DNA on Ruby, you will have left DNA on it, you're careless Will, and you've probably slipped up more than you know."

"Ridley," Will repeated, almost in a growl, "you want something you let me talk to her."

"Give him up Will or you are the one who will take the fall," Horatio warned, "the whole world will think you killed all those people."

"I've never even been to New York!" Will exclaimed angrily as he slammed his hands down hard on the desk.

"Maybe not but who's going to buy it? If you are all we can get for this then you are what we will give up unless you offer us someone better. Make a deal Will or take the fall. Last chance before I get that warrant and throw you in a cell."

"I'll make the deal with Ridley," Will said more quietly. "You want to know something about the real killer you let me tell her." His blue eyes glanced up at Speed coldly. "Unless you're afraid she won't play professional because she has a thing for me."

"Alright Will," Horatio said calmly as he folded his arms, "five minutes with Detective Moon but we will be staying in the room too."

"Not him," Will grunted with a nod at Speed, "he might get jealous and that would be unprofessional."

"You little fuc-"

"Detective Speedle please fetch Detective Moon," Horatio was swift to interrupt Speed's curse. He gave him a stern look prompting Speed to mutter his swear before storming out of the room.

He found Ridley pacing the walls in the lab with Eric and Calleigh. Eric was looking at images of the deceased Ruby and notes of the evidence collected from the scene. He was reluctant to go over it with Ridley in the room but Horatio had been clear that they needed as much as they could get on Will. Calleigh was doing a good job keeping Ridley away from Ruby's case, instead having her focus on the clown statue and the images of Will at the storage unit whilst Calleigh dealt with the slasher smile case. Speed knew he should be the one surveying over the evidence, Calleigh was the bullets girl after all and he was the trace expert but Horatio had offered him a chance to sit in on the interview with Will. Speed suspected Horatio simply didn't want him around Ridley while on the case, he was fairly certain Horatio didn't want Ridley at Speed's house either, none of them did but no one was going to argue about it with Ridley so close to the edge.

He glanced from Eric to Calleigh as all eyes turned to him. The pair seemed to be making a deliberate effort to stay professional, still friendly of course but there was no subtle flirting or warmth, just an unpleasant tension. It was like they had just decided to forget their kiss on the beach. Speed thought dryly how he and Ridley seemed to have done the same, all awkward romancing cast aside in the wake of Ruby's murder, another loss thanks to the killer.

"Will is insisting on talking to you," he informed Ridley darkly. "I know you want to talk to him too but it's not a good idea, he's playing games and I don't think he has any intention of giving us what we want."

"Does he even know what we want?" Calleigh pondered aloud. "Our killer is smart; I doubt he ever showed his face to Will, in fact having Will as an accomplice seems foolish, is it possible he has Will purposely to take the fall?"

Speed shrugged. "Probably."

"He's still our only lead and he is the one who hurt Ruby," Ridley said fiercely, "he had contact with the killer, it doesn't matter how, it matters that he did, that means there will be a trace." She moved towards the door, tensing when Speed grasped her right arm. They exchanged a brief, heated look before he quickly let go.

"Just don't buy into his crap, he's a lawyer in the making he knows how to lie," Speed warned her.

She nodded before hastening out the door with Speed straight behind her. When she reached the interrogation room she paused and took a moment to compose herself, exhaling a deep breath before smoothing down her shirt and flicking back her hair. Calm, professional, this was just another criminal she was interrogating, she was just doing her job, she couldn't make this personal. She opened the door briskly and strode into the room, calm, fixing a cool gaze on Will. "You requested my presence Mr Maguire?"

He grinned up at her tauntingly and Ridley felt like a mask had slipped from him. There was the same mocking baby blue eyed stare she had glimpsed on the roller coaster, the real Will Maguire she realised. "Yes, I want to talk to you Ridley, just you." He turned a sharp gaze on lawyer. "Get out," he ordered, "all of you." His stare flickered back to Speed. "I already said I didn't want you here."

"I must strongly advise against that," the lawyer spoke up sternly. She had long grown fed up with her client, guessing that he had her for show rather than help.

"It's not happening," Horatio said sternly, "I said you could have five minutes with Detective Moon in our presence."

"Yeah, well I feel like a one on one conversation with Ridley now," Will retorted with a small smirk.

"You just agreed to Lieutenant Caine being in the room to get Ridley here," Speed guessed with a roll of his eyes.

"You're smarter than you look," Will mocked.

"Mr Maguire it's not happening, Detective Moon is not on your case," Horatio commented calmly.

"It's fine," Ridley insisted as she stepped up to the desk calmly and occupied Speed's seat opposite the lawyer. "You don't scare me Will."

"Really? Because you certainly looked scared on that roller coaster."

To her credit Ridley showed no reaction to his words though she experienced a vivid flashback on that moment of being trapped and vulnerable. She looked at Horatio and said pleadingly, "five minutes."

"Ridley you're not on the case so even if he confesses to you we can't use it because as Ruby's friend you're biased," the redhead reminded her.

"I know," she said softly.

"I might give her something good," Will baited, "a location, a name." He shrugged. "Something you coppers can use."

"You're just toying with us," Speed retorted frostily.

"No, toying with you would be telling you how I have a good feeling that you left Ridley home the night Ruby died and how if Ruby was vulnerable to a rapist and a murderer what makes you all so sure Ridley was completely unscathed? Just lying alone in that room, completely dead to the world," his smile widened as he fixed a cold stare on Ridley, "well almost dead Ridley, probably the best sleep you got. There was blood on the walls; someone was in that room with you, what if they touched you? You wouldn't know, would you? Did anyone bother testing you? What if they played with you?" His gaze flickered back to Speed whose eyes were starting to burn with rage. "Does that make you feel bad cop? You left Ridley all alone to that, I wouldn't have." His gaze flickered back to Ridley. "If you had only let me take you home that night, I would have stayed all night long with you Ridley."

"Five minutes," she forced the words out as calm as she could but they came out clipped and sharp, "that's it Mr Maguire."

"That's all I need."

"Ridley," Horatio began a protest.

"You owe me Lieutenant Caine," she answered firmly, "give me this."

He frowned slightly at her words but he did not argue, instead he stood up from the desk quickly. "Very well, five minutes."

"Are you serious?!" Speed exclaimed as he glowered over at his superior.

Horatio looked back at him calmly, barely hiding his own concern. "Five minutes Detective Speedle, we will be just outside." He headed towards the door, pausing to glance back at the grinning Will. "If you try anything Mr Maguire I will make damn sure you go straight to jail and there will be no more offers of a deal."

"I'll be good," he joked.

His lawyer stood up reluctantly, shaking her head before she hastened to the door, at least this would permit her a toilet break.

Once they were all out of the room Will visibly relaxed, though it was difficult with the cuffs on his hands. "You look tired Ridley," he addressed her calmly with feigned worry in his voice, "he thinks so too. He says you need a rest, and that he's going to let you have one, he'll even give you a nice, soft, velvet bed and make sure there's no light to disturb you." He arched an eyebrow at that and his grin widened as he saw Ridley pale. "He says you're afraid of the dark but he's going to cure that, it's why you don't sleep but we need the dark to sleep, especially when we're going to have a long sleep."

"Who is he?" she demanded hotly. "And how does he tell you these things?"

"He found me, you dumb cops couldn't find me but he did. I wanted to wring her pretty little neck but I couldn't, I'd never killed anyone. He offered to kill someone for me to prove who and what he was, so I gave him her name."

"Who's name?"

"Amelia Greene, she looked so cute in that little, grey skirt. I met her at a club, don't know how she sneaked in, must have been fate. Then she goes and ditches me for someone her own age, so much for liking the older, mature man, bitch."

Ridley thought back to Amelia Greene's case, the first in Miami, her and Jesse King, Amelia had kept a diary they had flicked through and analysed, she recalled some very brief mentioning of a 'mature man' who she had never named. "She was sixteen," Ridley spat out in disgust.

"See you say it so negatively but high school girls have a certain appeal to them, they have an innocence about them even when they're fucking all round them, this sexy naivety and this amazing hunger," Will mused. "Anyway, I picked her because she dumped me and you know what happened."

"You nominated a young girl for murder because she dumped you?" Ridley quipped in disbelief. "You sick fuck."

"You're hardly one to talk," Will retorted with an accusing look, "how much blood do you have on your hands? He killed a boy called Riley just for you and then, more recently, a Mrs Silver and finally, Ruby, all for you Ridley."

"Did he say that?" she snapped as she stood up from her chair and glared down at him hatefully. "Did he?"

"He's said many things Ridley, he says you're getting too tired to keep up with him, he says he thought you would get linked to Detective Silver's murder and at the very least fired over it but the cops were too incompetent to follow the evidence he left leading to you."

"Or too smart to fall for it," she lied, knowing very well that Will was right; the cops had simply never picked up the trail. No one had wanted to know, the case was cursed and no one wanted to find Detective Silver's killer and risk themselves being next, except perhaps Detective Flack, he had tried Ridley supposed.

Will shook his head. "You had no one in New York and you're better that way Ridley, he doesn't like you having support down here, you don't deserve it. It's your call but he hopes after Ruby you'll know better than to keep friends."

"How does he tell you all this Will? Because right now it seems like you're just speaking in third person to save yourself," she accused as she glared down and across the desk at him.

Will let out a laugh at that. "No Ridley that's just what you hope but you know it's not true, I'm not your killer, I have never killed anyone."

"What about raped Will?"

"Let's not go off tangent now. He says you like the black shirt best and he'd like to know why, is it because the cop likes it best on you? He says you spend a surprising amount of time on that couch watching television and he's afraid you're getting lazy and giving in, which makes him tire of you. He also says your blonde friend is awfully caring, she even takes the time to feed a white cat that's most definitely a stray and she is not the kind of friend you deserve. He hopes you will have learned that from Ruby but then you didn't learn after Detective Silver." He cocked his head towards the door. "That Lieutenant interests him the most, he seems the most sensible but with you it's only a matter of time, he spends all his nights reading about you and a girl called Felicity and drinking, and every night he drinks a little bit more. You're destroying him Ridley; you're destroying all of them. He has a final message, he thought about painting it with Ruby's blood but that wouldn't fit with the urban legends and he didn't want to ruin that so he sent it to me."

"Sent it?" she echoed as she sank back into the seat.

"He texts, that's how he contacts me," Will explained at last with a degree of pride, "always a different mobile, none you could ever trace, he's not stupid, the number's blocked every time by the way. Anyway, last message," he leaned back and cleared his throat in a theatrical manner, "'Admit defeat Ridley and I will give you what you have always wanted, eternal peace in a bed no one will wake you from. Don't and all your remaining friends will become legendary.'"

"And how am I to reply to that?" she queried miserably.

Will shrugged. "I don't know, that's not my concern. Anyway, I have nothing more to tell you."

"Well then you can rot in hell can't you?" she retorted savagely.

"I had sex with Ruby but you can't prove it was rape, I and my lawyer will make sure everyone knows you guys are just trying to scapegoat me because this case is becoming an embarrassment," he retorted confidently. "Oh wait, I forgot, he did say one more thing," he added with a sinister smile.

"What's that?" she demanded carefully.

"Tim's screams are going to make Justin's sound like angels singing."

Ridley stormed out of the room without a word, her breaths coming out in short, sharp gasps as she almost collided with Horatio and Speed.

"What did he tell you Detective Moon?" Horatio demanded carefully.

"Ridley?"

She met Speed's worried brown eyes and her heart swelled with guilt. He knew things about all of them, he had been watching them, was probably still watching them and it was all because of her. "He knew Amelia Greene," she confessed hurriedly, "he says the killer contacted him and asked him to name a victim and he named her. He says he gets contacted via text message but it's by a blocked number every time, and a different phone, or so he thinks." She glanced over at Horatio. "Get the warrant." She started to walk off but once again Speed's hand on her arm stopped her.

"Where are you going?" he demanded with a suspicious look. "What else did he tell you?"

"That's it," she lied, "he just taunted me about Ruby and says we will never get him for raping her. Look, I need some air, just finish the interrogation, get something good from him."

Speed tugged Ridley a few metres away from Horatio and the approaching lawyer and leaned close to her. "Don't leave the premises," he ordered her sternly, "you're not going anywhere without me."

"I won't, I'll just go for a walk on site."

"Did he tell you anything else?"

"No," she lied with a shake of her head.

"You're shaking Ridley," he observed.

The woman glanced down in surprise and saw that she was indeed trembling. "He said the killer was going to make me sleep, in a box," she admitted wearily, "because I look tired and he's tired of me. My biggest fear, getting trapped in the dark, of course he knows that," she added bitterly.

Speed tugged his gun out of his holster and pressed it into her empty holster quickly. Ridley flinched and looked up at him in surprise, she had felt naked without her own gun and been impatiently waiting on a replacement one from Horatio. "Do not under any circumstances leave here until I'm ready," Speed said warningly.

"I won't," she assured.

"Are you ready Detective Speedle?" Horatio called.

Speed sighed and pressed his left hand against Ridley's cheek, it was cold to the touch and yet damp with sweat, he knew she was hiding something. "We will get him to crack," he assured before he turned and walked off.

Ridley waited a few precious seconds until Horatio, the lawyer and Speed were back in the room, then she turned and hastened towards the exit. Once she emerged to the car park bathed in the golden glow of the setting autumn sun she tensed warily. It was crazy being out here alone, he was probably watching her right now but at least she had a gun again, not that it had done her much good in Ruby's house. She contemplated staying in the Miami-Dade Headquarters, it was the safest place for her to be but how long could that last? It wasn't as if she could keep Eric, Calleigh, Speed and Horatio safely there for days on end. No, she had to move quickly, she would go to Speed's house, get her stuff and head to a hotel, it would be a start. She had been selfish and idiotic going there in the first place, knowingly putting him in danger. Well hopefully if she created some distance the killer might be abated. She smiled in despair, knowing the guy would never be satisfied until he or she was dead.

She hastened across the car park; she had to get moving while it was still daylight. Once she was safely out of Speed's house she would tell him and the others that they had been watched. She knew they wouldn't be scared; it wasn't in their nature but at least if she was away from them that might lessen the danger. She contemplated resigning to see them spared but knew that would just be signing her own death warrant, Will had said if she admitted defeat she would be granted eternal peace. She shuddered at the thought, he was either going to kill her or kill her work colleagues and then her.

"So you ordered Amelia Greene's killing then?" Speed was quick to query as he gave Will an icy stare.

Horatio didn't react to it, Will had to think Ridley had told them everything and that it didn't surprise them, that he needed to do better to save himself.

"Who?" he queried tauntingly.

"And you have been texting this killer you don't know," Speed continued sardonically.

"We are going to get that warrant Mr Maguire, and we are going to get all your things and trace you to these crimes," Horatio vowed.

"You won't find anything," Will said confidently though his confidence didn't quite reach his eyes. "You're going to screw up like Ridley, he's tired of his game with her, she's old news, he has you guys chasing him now so he's going to bury her." He threw back his head in sudden, hysterical laughter as if he had just made a huge joke.

"Right, your little jibe about her sleeping in a box," Speed retorted bluntly.

"Will that sounds like an admittance to talking with our killer," Horatio remarked calmly.

Will froze up and his expression turned ugly as he realised his error. "The bitch only gets a box if she admits defeat," he snarled angrily.

"Really? Well she's never going to do that," Horatio replied confidently. "Now Will, you have just admitted to having contact with this guy, we have footage of you with the slasher victims, where the clown statue was stolen from and we will prove the link between you and Amelia Greene so what's it going to be? Death in the press and in the cells, or a deal?"

Will scowled heavily as he realised his costly error. "Fine, I tell you his latest plan and you promise some leniency."

"Only if you're honest Will."

"Ridley might not admit defeat but she might take an opportunity to separate herself from all of you if she thought you were under threat, an opportunity to go and find sanctuary elsewhere, away from the cop," he said as he glowered across at Speed, "to keep him safe and breathing. She might take said opportunity to do this when all her cop friends are here, interrogating their best suspect, thus ensuring that she is alone."

"What are you getting at?" Speed demanded sharply as he began to fill with dread.

"He told me to give her a message when I got arrested," Will confessed. "He promised you guys would have nothing on me, that he would ensure that I would get out in no time but I'm thinking that was bullshit. He knew when I passed on the message to her that she would leave to move her property out of your house copper, he was counting on it." Will leaned back in his seat calmly and quipped, "where's Ridley gone to guys?"

Speed and Horatio exchanged an alarmed look before Speed jumped up from his seat, tugged out his phone and darted out the door.

* * *

Ridley entered Speed's house as the last of the sun's reddish-amber rays sank beneath the horizon. She unlocked the door, stepped in hurriedly and flicked on the lights. She headed to the spare bedroom softly and quickly, pausing when she heard a sound. It was like cloth brushing up against something, gentle and difficult to detect if one wasn't a paranoid, alert cop. She tugged out Speed's gun and continued on her way cautiously.

She turned round to the spare room and raised the gun instantly. There he was, almost six feet tall, the shadowy figure of Death himself. She fired the gun but it clicked and sent a jolt through her hand as it misfired. As she glanced at it in horrified confusion she didn't get a second chance.

The metal baton in his skeletal gloved hands collided hard with her head as he struck her angrily, furious that she had almost surprised him! She hit the floor hard with a groan of pain, the gun clattering out of her hand as she did, struggling for consciousness as her vision danced red and black but he was too quick and another blow sent her into black oblivion.


	19. Chapter 19- Buried Alive

_Warning, graphic content ahead!_

* * *

Ridley came to slowly, her head was pounding, it felt swollen and she was dizzy, possibly concussed. She knew immediately that everything was wrong and forced herself to keep her breathing short and quiet as she tried to calm her heartbeats. She became aware of her hands being bound together with chains that were so tight she could feel them cutting into her skin. Her eyes rolled up to meet a pair of wild, blue-violet irises. She surprised the figure attached to them by lashing out quickly with everything she had. Her feet hit him hard in the chest sending him stumbling back. She sat up, made to move, to strike again; anything but he was too quick.

The needle pierced through the right side of her neck before she could jerk back and he jabbed it in swiftly. She turned with a shriek, spat in his face and struck out hard, catching him across the cheek with her nails drawing blood and skin. DNA, evidence, she had to get what she could, even if it was on her corpse it was still one more clue.

He rubbed at his fresh wound with a thoughtful look as he took a step back, grinning when she swayed slightly.

Her body felt heavy, sluggish and slow. She struggled to fight it but it was too strong and she could feel herself slumping back down against her will as her heartbeats slowed.

"Don't worry, it won't knock you out," he assured, there was a tinge of New York in his smooth, velvet voice. "You are going to be awake for every little thing Ridley Moon."

She took him in, almost six feet tall, all muscle, fair skinned with dyed dark brown hair, light golden-brown eyebrows and those strange violet-blue eyes. He was distinctive and he would have been handsome if it wasn't for the cold, dead look in his odd eyes; his face was charming, smooth with minimal stubble and minor wrinkles. He was dressed in black robes, just like he had been at the wedding only the hood was back and there was no skeletal mask just that wrongly attractive face. He was somewhere in his early thirties, and faintly familiar to Ridley. She wondered if she was just imagining it as her vision blurred slightly and she finally slumped to her back.

"That's better," he murmured appreciatively as he stepped towards her. She made a noise of protest when his hands reached around her waist and unbuckled her belt and holster and he tugged off her badge and threw it to one side carelessly. She heard it clatter along a stone floor.

"Asshole," she hissed out hatefully. She wouldn't let him sense her fear, he wouldn't have that.

They were in some sort of abandoned warehouse, it was large and dimly lit, she could see that some of the lights above were broken, cracked and smeared in dust and cobwebs. There were windows near the ceiling, narrow, dusty and shut, they didn't look too thick but she doubted anyone would be near them to hear her scream, he wouldn't be that foolish.

She flinched when he leaned over and cast her in his shadow, placing something beside the left of her head. She turned her head to see it though the gesture cost her as her head swam and she had flashes of black before she took in the blurry image of a tape recorder. She heard it click as he pressed down on it.

"You're going to scream for Lieutenant Caine now," he said merrily. "It's going to be a new cycle I think, the cycle of the failed partner is over, now we can begin his tragic tale, the cop who failed the same woman twice."

She wanted to spit at him again when he pressed her calloused hand against her right cheek and stroked it gently. "I've been waiting a while for this Detective Moon, the conclusion of our relationship but not my business I think, you see I've come to like doing what I do. I like it a lot." He moved his hand down, hesitating at her gold coin necklace, he scowled then, twisting his handsome face into something monstrous before he clutched it tightly and yanked it hard.

She almost screamed then but managed to resist as the coins spilled everywhere and her scarred throat was finally exposed. She flinched when his finger traced over her scars lightly as he studied them with fascination. "I bet you want to know why I've done all this, Detective Silver wanted to know the same thing but he died without an answer and you're going to die the same way. Well," his grin widened as his hand moved down to her waist and his other hand joined it, "almost the same way, only you're going to suffer a lot more."

She tried to move, fight with all that she could when he unbuttoned her trousers and started to tug them down, this couldn't be happening, it couldn't! Her right foot moved, slow but effective, catching him in the right upper thigh, narrowly missing his waist and leaving a prominent footprint of Ridley's Mary Jane on his black robes.

"If it helps, if you hadn't gone to the cop's house alone to move your things in the selfless manner I was expecting I would have been very angry and I would have taken it out on Detective Speedle. I was going to take his organs, you know the legend I'm sure, you must know them all by now Ridley, the one where a man is knocked out and wakes up in a bath of ice missing his kidney. Well, Detective Speedle wouldn't be waking up again but then you make the right decision and now I can conclude our sordid tale." He tugged her trousers free and discarded them carelessly on the floor before reaching back for her pants. "Justin made the right decision too, it was you or him, I was going to let him flip one of his infamous coins, heads I would have abandoned him and went after you instead but he wavered the chance. Justin was very fond of you, he died trying to tell you it wasn't your fault but it was, yours and his. Now, I'm going to hurt you inside and out, I've dreamt about it for a long time and I'm going to make sure it lasts as long as I can make it. You can start screaming whenever you like."

* * *

Calleigh dialled Ridley's mobile for the umpteenth time as Eric pulled up at Speed's house behind Speed and Horatio. Ridley's car was there, abandoned in the drive and when they got out and followed Speed and Horatio to the house they found the front door closed but unlocked.

They entered quietly though everything in Speed told him to scream Ridley's name. Horatio tugged his gun out and led the way, giving a stern look to Speed that suggested caution. Speed followed closely, suddenly feeling vulnerable as he had no gun. They moved through the house at a painfully slow pace, Calleigh and Eric both armed as well as they followed. Ridley's phone was ringing but no one was answering and no one could hear it ringing in the house.

When they reached the spare bedroom they found the door ajar. Horatio flicked on the light and turned numb at the sight. There was a small blood spatter on the floor and Speed's gun. "She was here," he commented.

"Was?" Eric echoed worriedly.

Horatio nodded stiffly as he stepped into the room. "There's blood in the floor, Detective Moon didn't leave willingly, this is our primary crime scene so let's get to work quickly."

"Quickly?!" Speed snapped anxiously. "H how much time is he going to give her?"

"I don't know," Horatio confessed, "but right now this is all we have."

"No," Speed shook his head angrily, "that asshole Will said things about the killer making her sleep in a box, he knows all about this! We have to make him talk!"

"I doubt our killer exposed his entire plan to Will, Will was just his scapegoat and his puppet to put this plan in motion," Horatio retorted bitterly.

"Why didn't she use the gun?" Eric quipped in puzzlement. He raised the camera he had brought from his car and took a quick snap prompting Speed to glower his way.

Calleigh moved in to pluck up the gun with her gloved hands and started investigating it. She tugged on the clip, fiddled with the trigger and turned it over, frowning before she opened it and then turned a furious, blue stare on Speed. "She did," she stated, louder than intended, her voice almost shaky with anger, "but it misfired because it hasn't been cleaned properly."

The colour drained from Speed's face as all eyes looked to him and he filled with guilt, one moment of carelessness and it had cost everything. "Shit," he grumbled weakly.

Horatio didn't bother with an admonishment, he knew Speed's guilt was more than adequate punishment and there was no time for it. He folded his arms and murmured, "what urban legends are left? What could he have saved for Ridley?"

"You said something about sleeping in a box?" Eric quipped; almost reluctantly as he was afraid that speaking his thoughts might suddenly make them true.

"Yes." Horatio looked at Eric curiously, prompting him to continue.

"There's an urban legend about being buried alive," he informed them sombrely. "Well several actually."

"No," Speed protested, "no, fuck, that's what she said, her biggest fear, getting locked in the dark again!"

"How could he know about that?" Calleigh demanded as her eyes went wide with horror.

"Will knew about it," Speed explained as he looked to Horatio anxiously.

"He could bury her anywhere," Eric murmured grimly, "if...if that's what he's going to do."

"No," Horatio mused confidently as an idea struck him, "Will mentioned a box, it's going to be a coffin and there's going to be a grave, that's how the legends went right? They weren't just dumped in the desert; these people were buried alive in their own graves."

Eric nodded dubiously. "So what, we look for graves marked for Moon?"

"We don't know how long we do or don't have," Horatio murmured, "we start invading gravesites before him and he could get spooked and change plans."

"Then what?" Speed snapped as he glared at his superior. "He's got her, right now, the same guy that made her partner scream in agony for God knows how long."

"Right, Calleigh, call for backup and get this scene processed properly," Horatio ordered, "Eric, I want someone back in with Mr Maguire, get Frank on it, he's our best interrogator and he's not going to be emotional, he doesn't know Ridley. Anything and everything that turns up comes straight to me," he commanded sternly. "Get the neighbours questioned, any signs of any cars in the last hours, any visitors, anything suspicious, we need to know. I'll have all the cops in the city keeping a lookout too. Speed you're with me."

"Where?" Speed demanded.

"Up in the air, we're going to use thermal imaging and fly over all the graveyards in the city, it's dark now, they shouldn't have too much life in them. It's a long shot but it's all we have now. At least if we're in the air our killer should just think it's a standard patrol chopper. Miami always has eyes in the sky after all."

"Right."

Horatio and Speed hurried for the front door without a backward glance trusting Calleigh and Eric to turn up whatever crucial evidence they could.

"Man, his gun," Eric murmured pityingly, "so she tried to shoot?"

Calleigh nodded sorrowfully as she stared at the offending weapon. "She might have had him too, now he has her."

* * *

Her eyes were swollen and bloody when he put the blindfold around them, she was barely able to see out of them but there was a difference between barely seeing and not seeing at all. She let out a bloody moan of protest prompting him to lean down and kiss her bloodstained lips softly, which invoked a shudder from the beaten woman.

"You need the dark to sleep Ridley," he mused. The gag was next, same material as the blindfold and just as tight and confining. "You can stay awake as long as you like," he murmured, "but I don't want you crying for help, it would only disturb the others."

Others, she didn't want to know who they were. She was in agony, every inch of her inside and out screamed in pain. She didn't know how much time had gone by; it felt like an eternity, a never ending night of torture. He had raped her so hard she had felt her bones fracture, her skin bruise and her body bleed in protest as old wounds, physical and mental, were reopened. As if that hadn't been bad enough and drawn enough screams and shouts from her he had felt the need to use some interesting tools after. Something like a corkscrew that grinded through her stomach, twisting her skin tight and into itself before ripping a neat, bloody hole in her. Pliers on her nails, she had shrieked for mercy then to her eternal shame, begged for it when he had moved to her toenails. He had ignored her, plucking them off one by one like he was picking flowers, and murmuring scornfully about how Justin had lasted longer before he had begged. Then he had rolled her over and raped her again, while flaying tiny portions of skin off her back, ripping them off slowly with something akin to tweezers only it had burned like acid as he had tugged the flesh from her back.

"It won't last much longer," he assured as he plucked up her naked, bloody form and started to carry her somewhere through the darkness. Though she was loath to do it, she purposely leaned against him, making sure to smear her blood on him, wiping her bare, blood soaked feet against his hands and her shoulder against his shirt. "When he finds you, and he will, you will be dead, I promise that. I'll send him a Deepest Sympathies card," he mused. "I hope you liked your birthday card."

On through the dark, she tried to pay attention, tried to take into what she could of her surroundings. Outside, yes they were definitely outside then there was a jingle of keys and a click and she was unceremoniously bundled into what could only be a boot and abandoned to solitude and darkness.

She rolled about it anxiously, trying hard to free her bound feet and hands but the chains were too tightly bound so all she could do was do her damndest to leave what DNA she could. They might only find her body but the evidence would be everywhere damn it, he would be all over her and she would be all over him. Tears burned through the blindfold as she hoped to God that he at least left the others alone now. That once it was over, and she prayed that would be soon given the pain she was in, Tim, Calleigh, Eric and Horatio would all be safe. Maybe they would even solve this case once and for all without her around to hinder it.

After half an hour or so the car stopped and she heard footsteps on gravel. Her bladder gave way as she filled with terror and despair. The pain was too much, what more was he going to do? The boot opened and she breathed in fresh air again, only it didn't seem so fresh, there was a staleness to it and a heavy odour of fresh soil. He lifted her again and she thought of the two bite marks she had dealt him, at least he couldn't scrub them away. He had punched her in the mouth for that, hard enough to break some teeth, so her mould wouldn't match his marks anymore but she had dental records, Horatio and the others would make the link.

She felt herself going down and flinched as her back brushed against velvet and silk. "Only the finest for you," he murmured in a warped, boastful fashion. "Ridley Moon, you lasted longer than I expected but now you're going to bleed out or suffocate, it doesn't matter which, as long as you go into the soil alive that's all that matters."

She screamed then, screamed hard through the gag as she realised his intention but it was muffled and clogged with blood and it didn't stop him from setting down the lid. She heard the wood click together and started to struggle again, trying to rouse her body from its drugged stupor. Her hands slammed against the lid causing splinters to split her skin and rain down on her.

BANG! BANG! BANG! He had a hammer. He was nailing her in! She struggled then with all the force she could muster and screamed over and over. Someone had to hear her, it wasn't that late! It couldn't be! How many hours had she suffered? She seemed to be bleeding from every orifice, hard from her stomach. BANG! BANG! BANG! His hammer, her fists, his nails, her feet.

When the coffin started to move she lost it. Her body swung about like she was suffering a seizure, slamming up and down, left and right against the wood as she made as much ruckus as she could but it was pointless. She could hear the dirt being shovelled on, hiding the crime, weighing her down, concealing her in yet another pit of darkness where Lieutenant Caine would once again fail to find her.

* * *

"He must have asked for Ridley ten times," Speed grumbled sombrely, "we played right into his hands."

"I know," Horatio retorted wearily, "I shouldn't have left her alone with Will."

"I shouldn't have let go," Speed retorted as he leaned back against the uncomfortable leather seat of the chopper. "She was shaking," he confessed, "I knew she holding back, that that little fucker said something to her but I let her go anyway because I didn't think she'd leave the headquarters, I really thought she would be too scared to do that."

"She put us before herself," Horatio murmured as he continued to study the thermal monitor before them. He had minimal eyes on the ground, nearby cops who were on patrol anyway and a few undercover bodies, anything to stop the killer's arousal. "Frank said Will confessed he told Ridley that our killer had been watching us and knew things about us. There was a clear implication that if she didn't distance herself from us one of us might have been next."

"We're the CSI," Speed complained, "we shouldn't be running from this guy, how the hell has he been watching us and we have never known? We should have everything on him; he should be the one running, damn it Horatio he's got one us and we're chasing blind." All he kept thinking about was his gun, why hadn't he cleaned it? Why had he bothered giving to her? What the hell had been the point in giving her a useless weapon? He could picture the confusion and then horror in her face as his gun failed her and he felt sick at the thought. "She wouldn't have missed the shot," he grumbled darkly.

Horatio said nothing, the truth was he agreed. If Ridley had had a chance to shoot the killer, and evidently she had, she would have made a kill shot, no questions. Perhaps the killer might have retaliated quickly, tried to dodge the shot or push the gun but Horatio doubted it, Ridley's record when it came to her shooting skills was damn near perfect, when the woman shot to kill she killed.

"We've covered the entire city now," their pilot called back.

"Go round again," Horatio ordered sternly.

Calleigh had sent a few texts, some scrap of dark cloth that had snagged on the corner of a chest of drawers was now on its way to the lab, and there was also evidence to suggest the killer had been in Speed's room as his drawers were open and some of his clothes on the floor. Whilst Speed had admitted to being messy he wasn't that messy but if anything was actually gone no one knew for sure.

Horatio's phone rang and he tugged it out and opened it in a hurry. "Something weird, yes I'm very much interested in that."

"A card," came the dubious answer, "and a bloody, black shirt."

"Okay, who brought them in?"

"No one, the scent dogs were out, they smelt the blood and traced the shirt to a bin near the headquarters, the card was wrapped in the shirt, no envelope, just a Dearest Sympathies card, nothing inside it."

Horatio tensed slightly and looked across at the ever impatient Speed. He lowered the phone slightly and queried carefully, "Speed I know you own several black shirts, did Ridley perchance wear any of them?"

Speed looked just a little embarrassed as he nodded back reluctantly. He thought of his long, cotton, black shirt, perfect for work, perfect for clubs, perfect for when he needed to look a little dressy and perfect for matching with just about anything. No surprise that she chose to wrap herself in it after Ruby's death, snuggling into it like a blanket and ensuring that Speed would probably never have the pleasure of wearing it again. He would never admit it but he had always thought she was cutest in it.

"I think we know what he took from your house," Horatio murmured darkly before lifting the phone again, "have it sent to DNA for testing, let Eric and Calleigh know about it," he instructed. He snapped the phone closed without waiting for a reply and looked at Speed sternly. "He left it in a bin at the front of the Miami-Dade Headquarters," he explained quickly, "there's blood on it and a Deepest Sympathies card was inside, the scent dogs just happened to be in the area and found it. I suspect no one was meant to find it for a while."

Speed's lip twitched slightly as a string of thoughts ran through him. "How much blood?" he queried calmly.

"I don't know but if he's delivered his message then he's finished with Ridley," Horatio retorted grimly. "Pray Speed that we're right and he chose to bury her alive."

"I haven't been to church since Kurt Cobain died," Speed grumbled sarcastically as his brown gaze flickered over to the thermal imaging. "Praying doesn't do much."

Twenty more crucial minutes past before a faintly colourful, thermal image showed in the Hawthorne Bell Graveyard. "There!" Horatio cried out excitedly. "Right there!" It was crunched up and barely moved but it was heat, it was life.

"I can't land here," the pilot retorted.

"Get it as low as you can we'll jump," Horatio instructed. He lifted up his radio, pressed a button and snapped down it, "all units, get to the Hawthorne Bell Graveyard, I want bodies there now! Bring shovels, bring medic kits, get an ambulance there, now, now!"

* * *

Her heart was slowing; her chest felt heavy and tight, she was suffocating second by second and yet the blazing pain that filled her whole body wasn't easing any. All she could taste was hot, metallic blood, trickling down her throat to her dying lungs and causing her to cough violently. The only smells were dirt and death.

In the dark she saw Hawkes, the dirty fair haired monster, lumbering towards her, reeking of whisky, sweaty gut out as he reached a greasy palm towards her. Violet-blue eyes loomed into view, angry, mad eyes, the killer she had always imagined, the madman she had had nightmares about, now he had a face and it was terrifying. Trapped in the dark, they both had trapped her in the dark at their mercy, at their whim. No sense of time, it could have been hours, it might be near morning. She hoped she would see Justin and Ruby soon, that would be something wouldn't it? If there really was a heaven and if they were up there.

Endless, endless dark, her heart's frantic beats were the only sound, she couldn't breathe; she was soaked in urine and blood, why wouldn't it end? Why wouldn't it end? BANG! BANG! Hammers, nails, was she dreaming it? BANG! BANG! He was coming back! The monster was back, the metal door banging off the stone wall, the boots banging down the steps, he was coming back!

* * *

Horatio looked down at the coffin in dismay as he kicked the last of the dirt off it, it was nailed down. "We need to leverage it open!" he ordered quickly.

The trace expert, who was opposite him, now covered in soil, moved to the bottom end of the coffin and pushed the end of his shovel in between the lid and the coffin. Was she really in there? Was she alive? His heart was pounding madly in anticipation as sweat trickled down him. If she wasn't here then she was lost, too much time had passed, they wouldn't have enough time left to find her still breathing.

The graveyard was the most active it had ever been, blue and red lights illuminated the gravestones, radios buzzed with questions, officers stood around the hole both curiously and protectively as an ambulance with two medics waited nearby impatiently whilst other officers taped off the scene and tried to force back the arriving press.

Horatio pressed his shovel up near the top of the coffin and prayed quietly that they wouldn't injure her in the process. "On three," he commanded. "One, two, three!"

Simultaneously the CSIs leaned down on their wooden handles and tried to leverage the coffin lid up despite the nails. Their knuckles turned white, their brows became lashed with sweat and their faces tight with strain as they put all their strength into it. The wood creaked defiantly as a small gap appeared. SNAP!

The lid flew up dramatically as Speed's shovel snapped in two and splinters showered all around as the lid slammed shut just as quickly. Horatio cast his shovel to one side, fell to his knees and flung the lid open once more. He grabbed her tight and pulled her up into a sitting position. "I found you this time Ridley," he said reassuringly as his hands reached up to the blindfold and with effort he tugged it off.

The redhead tugged the gag off next and became very aware that she wasn't breathing.

Speed saw the thick blood congealing about her stomach and began tugging off his belt. "Medic now!" he shouted upwards.

Horatio placed her back down and started to give her mouth to mouth resuscitation. It was hard to keep focused on one thing and not acknowledge her terrible, bloody state. Even when she was breathing she would still be bleeding fast and there were so many wounds, so much damage and that was only what was visible down here in the dim hole, who knew what they couldn't see? What if he had drugged her? Of course he had but what if it was poison? Horatio couldn't think of any of that, he just had to get breathing.

BANG! BANG! BANG! She wished it would stop. Boots on the stairs. Bullets whizzing through the monster. Nails on a coffin. Her coffin. She was dead, right?

"Come on Ridley," Speed urged as he fastened the belt about her wound sloppily, at least it might slow the bleeding. "Come on," he begged, "you have to, the case isn't over, he's still free, come on, you have to finish this."

Finish what? It was finished, right? Her life for theirs, if she kept going he would target them next. She had already lost Justin and Ruby; she couldn't lose Tim, Calleigh, Horatio and Eric too, her friends, her stupid friends, why had they befriended her? Why had she let them?

"Come on Riddle," Horatio pleaded as he sat up and rubbed her blood from his mouth, "I found you this time, don't let me down."

Found Riddle? Had he really? Was she getting her hero cop? Was she saved?

He breathed into her again, filling with relief when he felt her take a gasp. He hadn't even realised just how frightened he was until she breathed, how unlike him to get so personal on a case. He sat upright; smiling faintly as she started to breathe on her own but her breathing was laboured, weak and jumpy. He stood up with her in his arms and looked up to the waiting cops. "Get her into the ambulance," he ordered as he passed her up.

She groaned when he let her go, up to the unknown, up to strangers and darkness.

When Horatio and Speed made it out of the hole Ridley was becoming lost to frantic medics, babbling about her bleeding out as they hastened to put her in the ambulance. The redhead and the dark haired man pushed through the questioning cops to ensure their place on board with her. It was crowded as the doors shut and the ambulance staff hastened to link her up to various devices as the ambulance started to move.

"She's lost too much blood!" one snapped.

"Jesus look at her hands."

"I think her spleen's damaged."

"Her ribs are broken."

Speed listened numbly as they listed problem after problem while trying frantically to slow her blood loss. He wanted to sit with her and offer reassurances but one, he couldn't get near her and two, he knew he would only be lying to her.

Horatio sat as close as he could get, clutching her blood soaked left hand in his own. "It's alright, we found you," he assured, barely audible over the sirens, "you're safe."

It was impossible to tell if Ridley was aware of her surroundings or not. She dipped in and out of consciousness and her eyelids fluttered wildly as they moved. Heart beating, heart slowing, breathing erratically, her chest was heavy, her lungs ached, this was all taking too much effort.

* * *

_Wow I can't believe I'm at this point in the story! Again this is a scene I imagined right from the start, I know it's dark but the show gets pretty dark and I didn't want to shirk away from our killer's violent nature. Plus, this scene always stayed with me so that convinced me not to change it. Anyway, thanks for all the reviews and please keep them coming!_


	20. Chapter 20- The Hunt Begins

Ridley's swollen grey-brown eyes came into focus as they locked with Horatio's dark blue irises. She sat up suddenly with a violent shriek. "You have to get him!" she gasped as blood spattered out of her mouth. "Dark brown hair," she half-shouted out, wincing as each word caused her chest to pang in agony, "dyed...was golden brown...his eyes..." She shuddered as her eyes lost focus and sweat soaked her body. "Horrid...blue-violet..."

The nurse tried to force her back down on the gurney they wheeled her on but she jerked free. "Please," she choked out frantically as she looked to the redhead, "he'll go free...you need to find him...I did what I could...I did..."

Horatio nodded as he took a step towards her. "I know you did and we will get him," he promised.

"Now, my DNA is in his car and on him...I bit him...he hurt...it hurts...six feet...New York accent...I know it..." She shuddered suddenly as a bloody vomit erupted from her and poured down her chest.

"She's lost too much blood!" a doctor snapped as he tried to urge her back down. "We need to operate!"

"No!" Ridley snapped angrily. "The evidence! While it's there, God while it's there or it's for nothing. Warehouse, there was a warehouse, so cold, used mannequins...deep boot...heavy engine..." She shook her head in confusion and tried to lift her chained hands. In the ambulance they had given up trying to remove the chains on her hands and feet, they were too tight and needed cut off. "I clawed him," she said victoriously, "I got skin under my...nails..." She looked at her bloody finger stubs in horror and a scream escaped her before she fell back in a fit.

"She's going into shock!"

"We're losing her!"

Speed and Horatio followed as far as they were allowed before Ridley was rushed from their sight, shaking violently and foaming at her mouth. Speed shook his head in wordless disbelief and raked both hands through his dark, dirty hair. "What the fuck do we do now?" he demanded furiously as he looked to his superior.

For once Horatio didn't have the right answer. It had been clear Ridley was trying to convey that what evidence there was, was still fresh and that the killer would have evidence on him but as time continued on the evidence would grow weaker and lesser, he would change, he would wash, and he would move. "We have a job to do," the redhead murmured wearily.

"We can't leave her," Speed said stubbornly, "not for one second." Truthfully though he didn't think he could stay, what good could he do her? He didn't even have a gun, though his had done her little use in the end.

Horatio knew he couldn't either, he had failed her once but if he stayed was he failing her again or was he failing her if he left? He pictured the fourteen-year-old Riddle, the tortured teenager who hadn't gotten her hero cop in the end, the cop who hadn't just rescued Felicity Chase but had escorted her to the hospital and stayed with her there making sure she was safe.

"I'll call Calleigh," Horatio decided, "give her an update and a description of our killer, he can't be far, not yet, Ridley is alive, realistically he only buried her under hour ago and then..." He sighed heavily, the pleading in her eyes had been clear. "Then I have to go, one of us needs to be out there chasing the evidence, her evidence, she did everything she could to leave some, we can't let her down."

Speed swallowed hard and nodded silently.

"I'll have some other cops come by for extra support," Horatio offered, "and I will be back as soon as I can."

"What..." Speed paused for a moment, reluctant to voice his dark thoughts. "What if she dies in there?"

"Then you at least will be here."

"Right, because that's what she would want," he answered bitingly, "the guy who gave her a useless gun to protect herself with."

Horatio gave his co-worker a stern look. "Speed I don't pretend to understand or approve of your relationship with Ridley but one mistake doesn't erase all the good of it, if she's going to go tonight just make sure she doesn't die alone, I think we both know how she feels about being alone." He turned away from the dark haired man, tugged out his phone and started dialling Calleigh.

* * *

Dawn, it was cold, damp and grey when it came, ironically more like a New York morning than a Miami one. Calleigh wondered sardonically if it was in honour of their wounded New Yorker as she hastened up to the hospital.

The blonde was exhausted and it was telling on her wan face as she entered through the automatic doors. Her Glock drew a few quizzical and nervous looks but the flash of her silver badge soon abated them. She had stopped only because Horatio had ordered her and Eric to take a break and let some of the others continue the work. He knew they would burn themselves out otherwise and had permitted them to go back on the case in three hours. Calleigh had argued that he hadn't slept either but he had ignored her comments and was continuing on his crusade through the city. A description of their killer had been passed around the entire police force of the city and people were beginning to look at all the security footage near the graveyard, Eric had spent three hours pouring over it in fact.

It was Eric who had urged Calleigh to visit Ridley. The blonde had broken down in tears when Horatio had called and described Ridley's injuries, he had told them about Ridley's efforts to secure some evidence and suggested in his usual calm, professional manner that a rape kit be used. The blonde had called her superior callous, heartless even, and demanded to know the point of it when the doctors would ruin most of the evidence anyway but Horatio had answered serenely that Ridley had sacrificed a lot and for her own peace of mind they needed to be seen making all the effort they could to gather DNA and evidence. He had intended for one of the trained cops to do it but Calleigh had snapped heatedly that no more strangers were going near the woman and that if it had to be done she would do it.

Now here she was, unsure if she was visiting as a friend or a colleague or worse, just a cop on the scene. She recalled Eric embracing her close, rubbing her back gently and assuring her that Ridley would be alright and that she was doing the right thing. She remembered how warm he had felt and how good he had smelled and how with one brief, comforting gesture he had broken her resolve. Calleigh had cried harder and demanded angrily if she could just be Ridley's friend and not a cop but Eric had insisted by being the cop on the job Calleigh was being her friend and that it was better Calleigh than a stranger poking and probing at the poor woman.

She followed Horatio's directions up to the fourth floor to the intensive care unit where a helpful nurse directed her on to the wards and through to a secluded room guarded by two cops who waved her on when she flashed her badge and gave her name. Inside the modest room an ashen faced Speedle greeted her, a gun brought from the headquarters by the cops clutched tightly in his right hand.

"Calleigh," he greeted numbly before he placed the gun back on the table.

The blonde's blue eyes went wide and filled with fresh tears as she took in Ridley's beaten form. She was hooked up to several machines, there was a clear mask over her face helping her breathe, a drip of blood and one of morphine, bandages over her feet and hands and stitches at her face and what was visible of her chest.

"How is she still alive?" the Southerner choked out as she set her silver case down on a plastic, blue chair. She knew it would be bad, Horatio had warned it, and yet she didn't think she had been prepared for this. The woman's face was a mixture of violent colours from bruising and bleeding and it only made Calleigh fear what was unseen.

Speed shrugged. "I don't know," he admitted darkly, "she wasn't for a while, they had to bring her back three times. They thought her heart was going to give out," he spoke in a matter-of-fact tone like she was just another case, "but it didn't. I don't know that it's better she kept going."

"How can you say that?" Calleigh hissed in horror as she flickered her blue gaze up to him, glad of a chance to tear her gaze away from Ridley.

Speed gestured to a thin, brown file on the wooden cabinet beside Ridley's bed. "Her report from the doctors so far, Horatio wants us to know every detail, in case it helps," he murmured dryly, "it's a graphic read. You know, we've seen a lot but all this damage to one person, it's bad."

"One person?" Calleigh echoed heatedly. "Ridley, Speed, this is Ridley."

"I know that!" he snapped dismissively. "He raped her so hard he broke her pelvis Calleigh, he tore off her nails one by one and flayed her skin, and all that before he buried her alive to suffocate or bleed to death, and you don't want to know where the sick fuck put that calling card of his. This guy had no intentions of her living. And the thing is, she had a gun and she was a good shot and one shot is all it would have taken."

"Well Speedle you should have cleaned your goddamn gun!" Calleigh snapped viciously. "But you didn't! Is that what you want to hear? That maybe if you'd cleaned it she would be okay? Well that's true! But maybe he just would have found another way then and frankly we all let her go out the door," she finished a little more softly, "and you're the only one who tried to give her protection. I never even thought to offer her a gun even though I knew hers was gone."

Speed stood up and turned towards Ridley before looking away suddenly. Calleigh watched in shock as he reached up a hand and rubbed at the corners of his eyes briskly before turning to her with a grim expression. "I need the toilet," he grumbled, "can you watch her?"

"Of course, I've something to do anyway," she admitted awkwardly as she glanced at her case out of the corner of her eye.

Speed's brown gaze turned suspicious as he followed her gaze. "What?"

"It's...it's a rape kit," Calleigh confessed.

Speed's expression darkened and he pushed his hands out in a firm gesture. "No, no fucking way."

"Speed, Ridley wanted us to gather all the evidence we could."

"You can't do that," he wrinkled his brow slightly in disgust and shook his head, "shit, did you not hear me? Her pelvis is shattered, you...you put one of those things up there and...no, look you're not doing it."

"Speed I don't want to either okay, it's not exactly my area of expertise but it's protocol and you know it and it's what she would want. I'll be quick and gentle, I promise, it's just getting a swab."

"What she would want? Seriously?" He sighed angrily before turning back to the broken woman.

"She won't even know," Calleigh said quietly.

"Or she'll wake up screaming," he grumbled. "Alright fine, do what you have to but while I'm here."

"Speed-" the blonde made to protest.

He folded his arms and gave her a stern look then. "Calleigh I might be dying for a piss but I'm not going and letting you do that. If she wakes up terrified and screaming I'm going to be here."

The blonde nodded. "Okay, look, go to the toilet, I'll wait."

"You'd better," he muttered before heading to the door.

Calleigh took a seat beside Ridley and looked at her friend with a deep pity. Her eyes filled with surprise when she saw the edges of a dark red shirt poking up from beneath her blanket and knew who it belonged to. "Gosh he really does care about you," she mused.

Twenty minutes trickled by before Speed returned, grim faced and clutching something in his right hand. Calleigh stared at the item curiously before her expression became baffled as she realised it was a stuffed toy, presumably purchased from the gift shop.

"I have to go," he said coolly as he looked at the blonde, his gaze tinged with rage.

"What? What happened to being here if she wakes up terrified and screaming?" she retorted sharply as she stood up from her seat.

"Horatio's got a trail," he admitted bluntly, "and he needs help, I have to go. Besides, you're the best shooter there is, if she's in your hands she's safe."

"Speed she's safe with you," Calleigh retorted gently.

"Not safe enough," he argued as he stepped up to her bed. He looked at Calleigh awkwardly before staring down at the unconscious young woman and lifting up part of the blanket to push the teddy down and in beside her. It was a giraffe teddy, the blonde realised.

"Why a giraffe?" Calleigh pondered aloud.

"There was some nature programme on," Speed muttered, "and Ridley said she liked them because they're the only mammals who don't need a lot of sleep, she said she could relate to that."

"She really doesn't sleep much," Calleigh agreed sorrowfully. Ordinarily she would have smiled at Speed's out of character kind gesture and his obvious awkwardness about it but concern overrode any amusement.

"Yeah, anyway," Speed looked up at Calleigh grimly, "let's get this over with, then I can go."

"You're sure you need to stay for it?" Calleigh quipped. "I mean it's already personal and painful enough."

"Calleigh," Speed protested wearily with a frown.

"Alright, alright." She headed towards her metal case and opened it up.

The woman seemed to tense and flinch a few times but she didn't awaken throughout the process. Once it was done Speed shook his head silently and hastened out of the room. Calleigh sighed, packaged everything up for the lab and then took a seat beside the woman and attempted to get comfortable.

* * *

He had been near the Miami-Dade Headquarters at approximately 11:30pm, sadly not near enough for the police cameras to pick him up but near enough for the road traffic cameras to catch some action. There was only one vehicle at that time of the evening turning towards the area where the bloody shirt and card had been abandoned that they could not positively identify the owner of, a black jeep about five years old.

A trace had revealed the jeep was a rental and a wide search had turned it up burnt out and still smoking at 04:00 in the otherwise empty car park of an old warehouse, had the police not been on the lookout for it they wouldn't have noticed.

Now here they were in the warehouse, just Speed and Horatio despite Horatio contemplating surrounding and securing the area. It looked clear, the killer had taken his time then, but a bloodstained, gold coin and a few mannequins gave it away as the primary crime scene.

Speed kept staring at a wooden table near where the coin was that looked entirely too clean. He snapped a few photos emotionlessly, frowning when he spied a few flecks of blood that evidently couldn't quite be scrubbed out. So it had happened right here then.

"He took his time clearing this area," Horatio murmured, "because he had no idea we found Ridley, which means he didn't think we would be coming here any time soon either. It was just over a couple of hours ago that the jeep was found, still burning, he can't be far."

"No," Speed answered in frustration, "but where?"

"I don't know but there were no tyre tracks outside, wherever he went he probably went on foot. Let's keep searching round here and I'll have someone survey the nearby area." He tugged out his mobile as he started pacing about the warehouse. The place had been cleaned slowly because he thought he had all the time in the world yet he was cocky enough to think no one would come here for a while and make the connection, so he had to have slipped up, there had to be something more than a single gold coin and some blood flecks.

"He's bound to be watching the news," Speed grumbled, "he'll know by now about Ridley, the press were all over it."

"Well hopefully he's panicking then and he will slip up," Horatio murmured as his phone rang out. He was greeted down the phone by a weary Frank Tripp. "Hi Frank, we're at an abandoned warehouse on Sandy Fern Street, site 988b, I need the area searched within a five mile radius. Our guy's not far, make sure people take care and are subtle about this, he's very intelligent and very dangerous, you know the drill." The redhead hung up the phone and turned to the trace expert who was looking at him with a sickly gaze.

"What if goes after Ridley again?" Speed demanded.

"I think it's more probable he will try for one of us," Horatio answered calmly as he met Speed's serious glare, "but if not, you left Ridley with Calleigh and two other cops, she's in good hands Speed."

"I know but...shit; I don't know whether to be with her or here. We need this guy, while whatever evidence is left is still fresh. Where's he going though? After her? After one of us? Another victim?" He shook his head angrily. "He must have a base."

"Yes, and it's going to be nearby," Horatio retorted confidently.

Speed lifted a bottle of blood detecting spray and began soaking the table, already knowing whose blood was going to be there. After the table was sufficiently drenched he sat down the spray, knelt down, flicked the switch for his illuminating light, stood up and began to slowly wave the bar of light over the scene. It was always better going ultraviolet in the dark but that would involve turning off the main lights and plunging them into the semi-darkness of the grey morning. Most natural light was kept out, sneaking in through the few clean patches in the small windows that lined the top of the walls. "Fuck." He lowered the light and froze up. Off-white patches, he knew what they had to be, and vibrant pink for blood. Lots and lots of blood.

Horatio peered over his shoulder at the mixture of vibrant pink and some faint off-white stains. He wondered briefly what all Ridley had suffered to lose so much blood and immediately put the thought from his head. "Swab it and bag it," he ordered.

"It," Speed repeated numbly as he scraped off some blood stains and put the samples in a bag before turning his attention to the other stain. "You mean the blood that gives us a good idea of all the pain she went through or the seamen that proves he raped her? What for? The blood's hers, the seamen's his and he isn't on the system."

"Speed this is a crime scene, we're processing it like any other."

"We're wasting time!" Speed snapped angrily even as he scraped up another sample. "None of this tells us where he's gone! He'll be running now, destroying the evidence piece by piece, maybe going for another victim, many planning on finishing Ridley off, or maybe just quitting the city, gone for good."

Horatio folded his arms and gave his co-worker a serious stare. "Speed I want the guy as badly as you do, but if we don't do this right we might ignore something and that could cost us everything. Let's do this properly and wait for Frank's call, he'll have everyone searching; someone will have seen our guy in the area. His big advantage was no one knew what he looked like and that's gone now because Ridley saw him and gave us a good description, and we both know he did not plan for that."

Speed shook his head angrily even as he sprayed around the table, hoping for footprints that he knew wouldn't be there.

* * *

Nightfall. Calleigh had taken a break at Eric's insistence but she had refused to leave the hospital. The half-Cuban had tried to get her to go home to sleep, assuring that he would watch Ridley but the blonde had refused so instead they had had watched her together for a few hours until Eric had been summoned by an excited Horatio to join him and Speed at what they thought was their killer's base.

Now it was almost ten o'clock in the evening and Calleigh was exhausted despite having nodded off for two hours in an uncomfortable position in the hospital chair which had left her with kinks. Naturally that had been when Eric was in the room, when the blonde had surprisingly felt safe enough to let down her guard a little. Now she was as alert as ever, anxiously wondering what the men had found and contemplating ringing them. Eric had been gone for almost two hours now; surely they had turned up something.

She tensed and her blue eyes flickered over to Ridley when the young woman let out a painful groan. Another followed more loudly, and then a frightened moan before her swollen eyelids fluttered open. "No!" she shrieked out the word in a panic prompting Calleigh to stand and put herself in the woman's vision.

"It's alright Ridley," the Southern assured, "you're in the hospital and you're safe."

"No," she choked it out, quieter this time, her hoarse voice quivering with the effort as her eyes rolled up to Calleigh. She was burning with pain, every muscle, every bone, every nerve seemed to ache, her head was singing with agony and she struggled to focus. "Am I dying?" she croaked out weakly. She felt restrained and was fearful of chains before she realised that her hands and feet were separate and their bonds were softer.

"No," Calleigh retorted with a warm smile, though it was hard to smile given Ridley's beaten state.

"If I do," she rasped, "no morgue..." She shook her head violently then. "No grave, not again, I thought...I don't want buried here! No, not down in the dark again!" Tears started to flow from her eyes as she started to tremble violently. "She talks to the dead, please not me, he promised..."

"Ridley calm down," Calleigh urged gently as she saw the heart monitor began to race as its beeping grew frantic.

"He said he'd sort it but I can't be buried here, not again!" Her eyes went wide and Calleigh filled with alarm as Ridley half-shot up and vomit sprayed down her chin before she seemed to collapse back onto her bed. "Where are they?" she demanded as she tried to turn in her bed. "Oh God why am I alive?" she queried tearfully. Her body was broken, even turning just a little filled her with suffering and had her wincing and crying out in pain.

"Ridley I know you've suffered a lot," Calleigh murmured, trying to keep back her own tears, "but we are all so glad you have survived, please don't wish you hadn't."

"No, you don't understand," she rasped as blood began to leak from her nose and spew from her mouth as she spoke. "Where's Tim? Where's Horatio? Where?" she demanded shrilly as her nose flared and the whites of her eyes showed.

"Spe...Tim," she corrected herself hastily, "and Horatio are chasing up the evidence, your evidence," the blonde added encouragingly. "You did so well Ridley," she praised, hoping to calm the woman, "they're going to get him."

"No! No!" she screamed out the words as her body began to shake without warning. "He'll kill him!" she wailed as the blood poured faster. "I live, Tim dies! I can't!"

Calleigh let out a cry of alarm when Ridley seemed to collapse, her eyes shutting and her frame going limp. She rushed to the door rapidly, flung it open and snapped to the cops on duty, "get a doctor here now!"

* * *

Horatio looked at the tape Speed had recovered still in its black recorder, hidden in a sealed safe behind a secret panel behind the bed in the spare bedroom. Two hours of hunting and they had finally found the safe, their best clue to the killer's plans. In it there was a tape recorder, a notepad and a scrap book.

They had found the apartment empty naturally but several neighbours had confirmed the resident was a man in his thirties with brown hair and blue-violet eyes, a feature everyone seemed to remember best. They had found DNA to send off to trace to be sure but books on urban legends, newspaper clippings from the cases in New York and Miami and the photographs in the scrap book confirmed it.

The photos were of the victims, in order, each with the victims' names, the number they were, and the manner of their deaths written beneath the photograph in fine, black calligraphy. They were photos taken from the crime scenes, some were family photos evidently pocketed from frames in living rooms whilst others were crudely cut out from driving licences or passports. The Kinskey siblings was a disturbing one, showing the two smiling siblings whilst Glenn, who stood in the centre, had his head missing. Justin Silver's photo was also disturbing, he had been beaming from ear to ear in it, handsome as ever with his eyes sparkling from drink and his arm about Ridley who had her eyes scratched out and 'BITCH' scribbled on her forehead in what looked like blood. Horatio's had recognised Ruby's photo as the old, creased one of the wall with her and Ridley, wearing the star necklace, this time Justin had an X across her face, Ruby was untouched and 'NEXT' was written across Ridley's brow in blood.

Tim turned over a page in the scrap book with his gloved hands and came to the final photo in the book. 'No.16- Det Ridley Moon- Buried Alive'. Tim tensed at the photograph, pressing a finger down on it slightly, he recognised it all too well, Ridley looking surprised with noodles dangling from her mouth and his black shirt loosely wrapped around her, he had taken it in his house and developed it on a whim. It had been sitting in his room in the drawer beside his bed in a case with a collection of other photographs as he had been unable to decide what to do with it and had hidden it in annoyance.

"Something wrong?" Horatio queried.

Speed glowered up at him, wondering how he could ask such a thing. He held back a sardonic response and answered wearily, "this came from my house."

Horatio followed his stare to the photograph and nodded. "He always takes a photograph of his victims," he murmured darkly.

"Should we get this back to the lab?" Eric queried dubiously as he eyed the tape recorder. He knew what was probably on there and that them listening to it now was easily the worst idea.

Speed ignored him, moved to the offensive object and dared to hit play. He did it suddenly without really thinking about it, he had to know what was on there and better hearing it now and getting the horror out of the way than waiting and wondering for hours while it was undergoing tests in the lab.

The screams erupted from it immediately causing Eric to flinch, Speed to frown and Horatio to fill with a deep guilt. They were female, high pitched and an indicator of suffering and pain rather than simple terror. They listened wordlessly as the tape played out, a man's voice making threats, then grunts, moans and more terrible screams. The screams turned animalistic, high pitched and wild as the pain evidently became too much, then there was begging and sobs. When Ridley's voice called out pleadingly for mercy all three of them filled with sympathy for the woman.

"Tell Lieutenant Caine it's his fault," the voice was deep and menacing and bore a hint of a New York accent to it, not the strong Queens brogue of Detective Flack but more like Ridley's odd mixture of city and village accent, a state accent corrupted by a pang of the metropolis.

"No," she answered defiantly, "it's my fault, mine."

"I'll make them scream, all of them and it will be your fault, the photographer first."

"Leave Tim alone." Her voice sounded weak then, almost delirious but still defiant.

Speed flinched at her words, even through her pain he could hear the desperation there and the seriousness. More bloodcurdling screams followed and then the tape clicked off.

"_I..." She shook her head repeatedly. "What will he make me yell?"_

"_Ridley don't talk like that," Horatio retorted seriously as he looked at her firmly. "I won't let that happen."_

It was Horatio who cursed as the recent memory of his promise to Ridley flickered through his mind. She had known the killer would get her and make her scream as he had done with Justin, and Horatio had been so confident that would never happen and now here they were, listening to those screams he had vowed would never exist.

The redhead tensed as his phone started ringing, tugged it out and flipped it open. "Hello Calleigh."

"Horatio you guys need to come to the hospital!" Calleigh cried out down the phone. "I don't know what's going on, she woke up and she started freaking out and now they're operating on her. Please come, I'm scared she's going to die."

Horatio paled slightly at Calleigh's words though he kept his face perfectly neutral. "Alright, we need to wrap things up here first."

"Did you find anything? Any leads?" the blonde queried desperately.

"The trail's gone cold," the redhead confessed wearily. "We found his base but it's unclear where he's gone. We can only hope the evidence will tell us more. We won't be long Calleigh."

"Okay, please don't be."

Horatio hung up the phone and met Eric and Speed's prying, worried stares. "Ridley's getting operated on," he informed them calmly, "she went into shock or took a seizure, I'm not sure."

Speed muttered a curse as he shook his head. "Her body can't take much more," he grumbled, "he's going to win, she'll be his victim."

* * *

It was just after three in the morning that Ridley's eyes fluttered open again. Horatio was unnerved by the fear he saw in them and wondered if the young woman would ever get over what she had been through. "Good morning Ridley," he greeted brightly as he crouched down so that he was eye level with her, "you've had us quite worried."

She looked at him at first in confusion then in desperation as she started trembling and shook her head. "If I live someone else dies," she choked out as tears burned through her eyes and down her cut cheeks. "Please, don't let them bring me back...I'm so sore and tired...and if I go...it ends."

"No it doesn't," Horatio said firmly, "he just told you that so you would surrender to him, if you die Ridley he will still keep killing and he will come after us, don't let him in your head." He paused at his words, realising the dark truth, he'd already gotten into her head and her body.

"He's been in me," she sobbed out, "God every inch..." She turned away from Horatio and started sobbing hoarsely.

The redhead felt sorrow, unable to steel himself to his emotions the way he normally could. Perhaps it was because all he could think of was the terrified teenager he had failed, locked up in the dark, hurt, suffering and alone and now here she was suffering all over again. He reached out a hand to her and stroked her hair tenderly. "I know I have no right to ask anything of you," he said softly, "but I'm going to anyway and it's a big thing."

"What?" she croaked miserably.

"I'm going to ask you to keep fighting for survival, to keep pushing yourself to live no matter how much it hurts or how exhausted you are because I'm selfish and so are Tim, Calleigh and Eric and we can't lose you because we care about you and we will be lost without you. I also don't want you to worry about us, you'll have enough to do getting yourself through this, we are going to get this guy, I promise you."

She squeezed her eyes shut, wincing at the pain as her swollen lids throbbed with the effort and her bloody cheeks burned as her salty tears irritated them. For a moment there was only the sound of her sniffling before the door opened and Speed entered.

He halted awkwardly by the door taking in the sight of Horatio crouched over Ridley, stroking her hair soothingly, and the sounds of her crying. He didn't know what to think except to feel some relief that she was awake. He hastened forward when Horatio glanced back at him and gave a small nod. Horatio withdrew his hand then and stood upright, smoothing down his grey jacket as he did. "I'm going to go now and see what Eric has come up with at the lab."

Ridley turned sharply, letting out a gasp of pain as she did. "You can't go," she snapped worriedly, "please, he'll come after all of you."

"Ridley," Horatio said sternly, "I told you not to worry about that. None of us will be on our own, I'm going to the lab, there's plenty of security there and I will have everyone closely watched. Now, get some rest, Speed's here to keep you company." He gave Speed a calm stare and murmured, "I'll call you in a few hours, ring if you need anything."

Speed nodded back bluntly and watched as Horatio exited out of the room before he turned his attention back to Ridley. "Hi," he said awkwardly. He was glad she was awake and yet he wasn't because the guilt was consuming him and he didn't know how to address it.

"I'm sorry," she said weakly, "I've put all of you in so much danger, I wasn't meant to live."

"I know," he retorted numbly, "but I'm glad you did, and I'm sorry, more than you can know."

"What for?" she croaked in confusion.

"My gun failed you," he confessed coldly, "it misfired because I didn't clean it and because of that...well what you suffered...shit Ridley I can't ever undo it, all I can do is keep pushing to get this guy and I will, I swear I'm not going to screw up with that."

"Please don't go after him Tim," she choked out pleadingly.

He looked at her in confusion, wondering if she no longer had faith in him as a cop.

"He told me he'd come after you," she rasped as she tried to sit up and failed, "he said if I hadn't...if he hadn't got me you would've been next." The tears began to fall again and her bloody lip trembled as she swallowed down a sob.

Tim's slightly sunken brown eyes widened a fraction. "I know, I heard the tape Ridley," he confessed.

She turned an odd shade of grey then and started shaking her head anxiously. "No, no, I should've died; he won't leave you alone now!"

Speed sighed, squeezed the skin between his eyes at his nose briefly and then reached down to the giraffe teddy, tugging it up and placing it close to the woman before he sat down awkwardly on the edge of her bed. "It's not going to happen," he said confidently, "he's not getting you again and he's not getting any of us. I have another gun, a clean one, if you can trust me to stay with you, and there are two cops outside. I know you wouldn't have missed that shot Ridley, I messed up and it cost you almost everything so don't talk about dying; if you die I can't live with that guilt."

"It's not your guilt," she murmured, "I couldn't keep my own gun secure Tim, and I went to your house knowing he was out looking for me, it was my own fault I just...I didn't want any of you hurt, he knew things about all of you...Detective Flack was right, I've endangered all of you."

Speed placed a hand down on her brow gently and found it fiery to the touch. "Flack is an ignorant asshole," he scorned, "he's not right about anything."

"It hurts," she confessed with a wince, "all over, so much, Horatio said I have to keep going but it's hard, everything burns and I keep dreaming about Justin and Ruby, I just want it to be over Tim."

He nodded before withdrawing his hand, leaning down and kissing her brow lightly. "It will be over Ridley, but you're going to be alive at the end of it. I know he put you through hell and I will never forgive myself for letting you walk out those doors alone to suffer that but I want a second chance Ridley so don't give up."

"A second chance? You're not the one who messed everything up; I did...Justin...Ruby...all those other people."

"I let you go off alone with a gun that didn't work, I messed up badly Ridley and I'm amazed you're still talking to me and I'm hoping it's not the drugs you're on."

She almost smiled at that but her mouth hurt too much and she gave up on the gesture. "You couldn't have known and I made the choice to go...God it was dark..." She started to quiver. "Every time I thought it was going to end it got worse...back in the dark...trapped again...I thought I'd die there...and everything before...God he's a monster, the worst kind of monster..."

"I know," Speed retorted quietly as he leaned back against the bed, sliding down slightly, and then tugged Ridley up and over to him as carefully as he could, taking care not to knock out any of her wires or pipes. He positioned her similar to the way they had been in Ruby's, with the side of her head pressed against his chest, and his arms wrapped securely over her. He took care to place the giraffe just beneath her neck snuggled against her chest and then tugged his red shirt up and around her. "Close your eyes," he murmured, "and let me try to get taking care of you right."

Bump, bump, bump, there it was again, the soothing beats of Tim's heart. Ridley pressed into his chest as it started to lull her shudders and calm her nerves. Bump, bump, a steady, calm beat, an indication that things were okay, if it quickened then she would worry.


	21. Chapter 21- Bait

Speed stubbed out his third cigarette of the day against the wall before flicking it into the bin. He considered dryly that he was starting to become a chain smoker, every time someone came to relieve him of guard duty with Ridley he couldn't resist hastening off to smoke. He supposed it was simply the stress, every time her heart beeped quicker than normal or her breathing seemed laboured or a doctor came in with a frown Speed filled with worry.

It had been almost two weeks now since Ridley's awful ordeal and they were none the wiser about their killer or his location. There had been more than few oddities about his apartment, stale bagel crumbs and the remnants of an uncommon cream cheese had led them to the only store nearby that stocked the cheese where security footage had awarded them with scenes of the killer from a week ago. It was enough to get an accurate image of the man, which was now circling about the police force of Miami, Calleigh had suggested going public with it but Horatio had had a different idea.

For the past week now the four of them- Speed, Horatio, Calleigh and Eric- had become bait. Horatio was convinced that if the killer felt he could have an opportunity he would strike at one of them. So they made a pretence of being alone more often than not, hoping that the hidden cameras and speakers in their home linking up to cops hidden in vans nearby, would go unnoticed. Speed hated having to go home to be alone but had consented that it was possibly their best option. The worst bit was having to lie to Ridley about the entire thing; none of them was willing to admit to their risky plan for fear of the guilt it would cause the young woman.

Ridley had yet to be left alone and until their killer was caught they had agreed it would remain that way, even if leaving her alone might create a better lure none of them was willing to run the risk. Two cops were at her door at all times and one CSI was in within her as often as possible, it seemed like plenty and yet Speed still wasn't convinced that it was enough.

The dark haired man turned back to the glass door he had escaped through and abandoned the grim, square, smoking area to slip back into the ever busy hospital and make his way upstairs.

He avoided visitors, nurses and doctors alike as he made the now all too familiar journey up to where Ridley dwelled with Calleigh for company. He paused to give way to a slim, brunette, ignoring the lingering glance she gave him before he continued on his way. It was strange but despite a couple of nurses giving obvious hints and a few visiting women even just outright making suggestions, Speed hadn't felt compelled to hook up with or chase after any of them. It wasn't the effort involved, because that was an all time low, but he simply didn't see himself as wanting to be available anymore. He wasn't even really sure why, he had no girlfriend, and it had been a while since he had last had any action and yet he had no desire for any of it. All the trace expert could think about was taking Ridley to the Kali Bay restaurant for a meal as they offered up an interesting variation of their dishes coming up to Christmas including her ever favourite noodles and also served what they called Big Apples Bites, generous chunks of apple pie with ice-cream and toffee sauce, sickening and nothing to do with New York really but he thought she might appreciate the tongue in cheek name anyway.

He was frustrated as he flashed his badge and ID at the cops at the door and headed in but that was nothing new. When he was at the hospital he felt he was wasting time that could be spent chasing their killer but when he was at the lab going over the evidence he worried about Ridley, he just couldn't win. They had gotten all they could out of Will Maguire who was suddenly very helpful upon realising he might be facing death row and yet Speed still thought there was more they could get out of him but of course Horatio was not going to let him do any interrogating. Will had confessed to selecting Amelia Greene to die, stealing the clown statue, luring the slasher smile victims to the warehouse where they had died and buying some of the more exotic weapons used to kill some of the victims, and the scythe prop at the Silver wedding. He had claimed to get the requests via text message; always from a blocked number and that he had been ordered to drop the weapons at numerous sites and later received payment for them at dead drops. Naturally Will had deleted all the messages off his phone and the few drop sites he recalled hadn't turned up much having become too contaminated.

He nodded calmly to Calleigh who stood up wearily, pausing to lift her denim jacket. She stepped up to Speed with a small, tired smile and said, "are you sure you don't want a longer break? You look exhausted."

"I'm fine," he murmured. He was in need of a shave, his hair was border lining on greasy, his eyes were bloodshot and his clothes were wrinkled and been worn for three days straight but he neither noticed nor cared.

The blonde knew better than to point out the obvious, she'd already had this argument with Speed several times now. Instead she just nodded and retorted quietly, "okay but if you feel like a longer break let me know. You need to go home and sleep; you're no good to Ridley if you're exhausted."

He frowned at her and she knew she had hit a nerve. "I'll be fine," he practically growled out the words.

"Alright," Calleigh gave in with a disapproving shake of her head, "but give Eric or me a call Speed."

"Sure, thanks Calleigh."

She nodded, cast a final look of pity at Ridley and then slipped out the door.

Speed was quick to occupy the seat beside the young woman; it had mercifully been changed from a hard, plastic torture device to a soft cushioned chair with a pillow Calleigh had brought from home. Speed looked at the table beside the chair and thought dryly how it was becoming telling who had occupied this chair- gun magazines advertised Calleigh's idea of light reading, the empty soda cans and crumpled doughnut bags showed the times Eric had dropped by, usually with a gift of food for Calleigh, the Sleepy Hollow book had to be Horatio's idea of ironic reading and everything else was Speed's. He noted that Calleigh had evidently cleaned up most of his abandoned food wrappers and coffee cups.

"Is it late?"

He turned at the quiet voice and shook his head before glancing at his watch. "Six-fifteen," he informed her as he sagged in the seat in an attempt to get comfortable.

"It's hard to tell," she murmured as she glanced towards the window, which had its white blinds drawn as what sunlight came through it stung her swollen eyes.

"Are you hungry?" speed quipped hopefully.

As expected she shook her head though the gesture cost her as it sent a pang of pain through her neck.

"Sure?" The woman barely ate and when she did it was usually in liquid form and something the doctor had advised, even Speed's offer of noodles and Eric's suggestion of doughnuts had been rejected. "I can get you whatever you like."

"I feel dizzy today," she retorted softly.

He leaned towards her slightly, reaching out a hand to touch her brow, as expected she had a mild temperature. "Water?" he suggested calmly.

"I'd like tea," she confessed weakly.

He gave a small grin at that, it was the first interest she had bothered to show in food or liquids. "Tea it is then," he answered with some satisfaction. "How do you take tea anyway?"

"Rarely with milk and honey," she answered faintly, "sugar's fine too."

"Right, I'll be back in a minute then." He stood up and hurried from the room, heading to the stairs and descending down to where the cafe was. It was as he neared the cafe that his phone started ringing. He tugged it out, saw Horatio's name flash up and answered, "what's up H?"

"Speed he took the bait, Eric was sent on a goose chase by a bunch of teenagers who saw him on duty, they claimed a woman was in trouble in a secluded part of the marshes. He sensed trouble, let us know and then followed the trap. He's gone dark, he's probably unconscious but his tracker is working."

"Delko?" Speed retorted, dumbfounded.

"I know, he's the least close with Ridley so our killer probably thought we wouldn't be watching him as closely. Anyway, Calleigh is on her way back to the hospital, I told her we had a breakthrough I needed you to check out."

"Right," Speed murmured dryly as he turned from the cafe and started hastening towards the exit. He supposed it was better Calleigh not worrying about Eric, especially given their developing relationship, but at the same time he loathed the deceit. "Where do you want me?"

"Twenty-fifth Avenue, by Holly Park Road, you're looking for an old shoe factory and Speed..."

"Yes?"

"Your gun better be clean." With those firm words Horatio hung up the phone.

Once he was securely in his car a brief surge of guilt fluttered through Speed but it wasn't enough to combat the adrenaline surging through him, this was it, their big break at last. It was a pity it had to be Eric and entirely unexpected, which was obviously what their killer was going for. Speed hated that he had now left Ridley without a word, probably growing more anxious by the minute, and that he had avoided the truth with Calleigh but he didn't want either of them in a panicked state and he knew, as Horatio had, that if Calleigh knew Eric was potentially in trouble she would've dropped everything to rush to him, which would leave Ridley vulnerable. Speed knew he could have offered to stay with Ridley and let Calleigh go but he was determined to see this business concluded in person. He wanted to look at the eyes of Ridley's tormentor and make him suffer.

* * *

It was twenty to seven by the time Speed made it to his destination; he abandoned his car on an unlit side street, got out and hastened up the street searching for an abandoned shoe factory. It was getting darker, with autumn here the sun set quickly and there was a faint chill to the air, normally not unpleasant but this evening it set an ominous mood.

The neighbourhood was a bleak one, a sign of the market crash as there were numerous abandoned buildings and closely built homes of formerly white, now grey, some with cracked windows and more than a few with questionable groups of people outside. The palm trees and long, rough grass seemed a cliché, the photographic image of Miami trying to cover the dark truth that even in this active city for the wealthy there were large pockets of poverty and depression.

Speed contemplated ringing Horatio until he spotted him lingering under the shade of a cluster of dying trees. He hurried over to him and quipped quietly, "where's everyone else?"

"There is no one else," Horatio confessed calmly, "I have units waiting fifteen minutes away, any closer and our killer would know something was up. He's smart Speed, either we're lucky and he has no idea we've a tracking device on Eric or this is all part of his elaborate plan, either way we need to be extremely careful." He gave his companion a dark look and queried seriously, "are you ready to do this?"

Speed nodded confidently and answered, "let's get this asshole already."

Horatio led the way on, down the street, across the road and up a narrow alleyway to the back of a tall, forgotten, brown bricked building with faded mint green paint on it reading 'BESSIM'S SHOE FACTORY'. Horatio surveyed their surroundings briskly before tugging out his gun and hurrying up to the back door, the padlock on it was rusty and he tugged it off with little bother before tugging down the handle. The door was stiff and awkward to open but it was no surprise that it did open, undoubtedly squatters, drug users and daredevil teens had broken the padlock and locks a long time ago and simply left the padlock on for show.

They found the ground floor to be a large, dusty, cobwebbed room littered with empty bottles, stubbed out cigarettes and joints, abandoned half-made shoes, rotting cardboard boxes and graffiti marred walls. They both surveyed the area quickly and carefully, hesitating when they heard a low moan echoing down from upstairs. Horatio nodded at Speed before leading the way on towards the rusting, metal staircase.

Speed looked at the staircase in annoyance, it was going to be impossible to climb up it stealthily but Horatio made an attempt anyway. Up to the dark unknown, passing a window so thickly smeared with dirt and grime it may as well have not been there at all. Speed spied the wire glinting at the edge of the staircase first, Horatio should have expected it but when they heard a cry of pain, the redhead seemed to miss the obvious in his worry. The dark haired man moved swiftly without thinking.

The wire snapped as Horatio's black, leather shoe brushed against it just as Speed shoved him hard, sending him down and into the wall with a grunt of pain. BANG!

The noise sent a ringing through Horatio's ears as the unmistakable odour of gunpowder attacked his nostrils. He turned in surprise, gun up and ready as he tried to take in the scene. Speed was down to the right, doubled over and gasping in pain. Eric...there he was in a filthy tin bath of ice of all things, blood and sweat soaking his face as he tried to react to the gunfire and failed. Drugs, blood loss, Horatio had no time to determine what Eric was suffering from, maybe it was both, he had no time to take it in. There was a gun pointing his way. Click, the sound of a trigger, he had to move.

BANG!

"Fuck!"

The gun clattered to the floor harmlessly as the almost mythical man they had been searching for clutched at his now bloody right hand and glowered at Speed hatefully. Speed glared at him, continuing to hold his gun up despite the sweat lashing down him and the tremble beginning in his hand.

Horatio spied the assortment of tools glinting on a metal table and took in the sickle in their culprit's left hand and the dagger discarded on the edge of the table. Horatio realised the only thing that had saved them was the fact that the killer had had to drop the dagger to lift his gun, a few seconds of delay that had given Speed a chance to successfully fire his own gun. The redhead stood up, looking to the loaded shotgun that was linked up to the wire he had triggered. He raised his Beretta Cougar and took a step towards their assailant.

He was tall, over six feet, a disturbingly handsome man somewhere in his early thirties with dyed dark brown hair that was ill-suited to his fair complexion, bushy blonde eyebrows, a smile almost too wide for his face that seemed mad rather than amused and those unnerving, unnatural violet-blue eyes that were filled with an insane evil. In his youth Horatio had never believed someone could actually hold madness in their eyes, he had scorned the idea of eyes being the window to the soul believing that people could lie as well with their gazes as they could with their mouths but over time he had learned that he was wrong, that some people couldn't contain the darkness of their souls from their eyes. As he studied the man he realised that he looked familiar, something Ridley had babbled about, he took in the slight dent at his chin, the small curve at the bottom of his nose and the finely shaped cheekbones, it was a face, he realised, that he had been staring at a lot recently.

"Lieutenant Caine," the man greeted calmly as his gaze flickered to Eric briefly and he held his bloodstained sickle out warningly towards the moaning half-Cuban. "You were watching more closely than I realised," he admitted.

"It had to end at some point," Horatio answered coolly.

The man's smile widened, stretching out across his entire face and making him ghoulish in appearance. "It's a pity it couldn't end for Detective Moon, you failed her twice, how does that feel? Of course she failed so many people so many times; it's only apt that someone failed her." His gaze flickered over to the still heavily panting Speed whose gun hand was shaking now. "Or several people failed her rather; you failed her too Detective Speedle. A cop whose home lacked any kind of security and a gun that couldn't even shoot, your laziness annoyed me, as pleased as I was to have her make the decision to sacrifice herself for you I was a little upset, you deserve to suffer." He shook his head scornfully as his stare turned back to Horatio. "So many stupid cops, this country deserves better."

"My gun shot you fine this time asshole," Speed snarled back.

"We've got you now," Horatio said confidently, "you left Detective Moon alive, and thanks to her description of you we knew who we were looking for."

The man's expression curdled in displeasure. "The bitch couldn't even die right," he grumbled. "No matter, she'll still suffer in the end. In fact, you will wish she had died. You see when people learn just how responsible she is for all of this; it will be her they turn on not me."

"You're delusional," Speed spat at him hatefully.

"Not so Detective Speedle, she and Justin started this mess and the world is going to know it. When you bring me in Lieutenant Caine all anyone will want to know is why and I will tell them, everyone will know that Detective Silver and Detective Moon are the reason why all this carnage had to happen."

"Hawkes," Horatio breathed out the name in calm disgust.

The man's violet-blue eyes flared in anger and he shook his sickle down several times in anger, almost slicing Eric's ear with it. "Don't speak his name like it's nothing!" he screeched.

"His name and yours," Horatio realised.

"They shot him down in cold blood, no reason; they hunted him," he snarled, "and gunned him down from behind, an innocent man!"

"He was hardly innocent," Speed sneered.

"Shut up!" the man snarled before pointing at Horatio with his bloody hand. "You were there, you couldn't convict him, you couldn't even get a warrant! You let him go but thirteen years later two cops who should be upholding the law think they have a right to be vigilantes! Murderers! And they got away with it because the law is so lazy and corrupt! Well if you cops couldn't bring your own to justice I had to make sure they still suffered."

"The law failed Detective Moon not you," Horatio informed him frostily, "your father was guilty of many things."

"YOU COULDN'T PROVE IT! YOU WERE THE COP ON DUTY AND YOU COULDN'T PROVE IT! And neither could she when she got her badge! She had all the powers of the law at her disposal but she didn't arrest him! No, she and partner gunned him down like he was nothing! I never found out who pulled the trigger," he confessed, "that's why they both had to suffer."

"All this for revenge?" Horatio queried in disbelief with a slight shake of his head.

"All this so the country would see how incompetent that pair were, there should have been an investigation!" he snapped hatefully. "Someone should have looked into their professionalism, questioned their past cases but oh no, cops always stick with their own!" He smiled wickedly once more. "I confess I grew to like it too, everyone dies different you know, someone still hope they'll live even as their last breath escapes them, some embrace it and some fight until the end, Justin fought until the end." He leered at Speed once more whose arm had finally dropped slightly. "Ridley was a fighter, I enjoyed hurting her, I enjoyed fucking her too, did you? Justin did, he told me."

Speed struggled to lift his gun, it felt like it weighed four times more than it did and was causing a terrible stinging pain to race up his limb and join the burning humming through his leg. "You fucking freak," he growled out hatefully.

"This isn't the end," the killer taunted Horatio, "it's only the beginning. You've all closed ranks about her but once the press comes to me everyone will know that all those deaths are on her head and they will know that she and Justin killed a man in cold blood, an unarmed, innocent man! I will tell the world that he was my father and that if they hadn't done that no one would have to die, that if they had only investigated her and Justin after failing to stop me so many times it all could have ended sooner.

That she is a delusional nutcase who should have never been allowed a badge, a traumatised young woman who made up an idea that my poor father was a man who attacked her, all lies brought about because of your inability to find the real culprit Lieutenant Caine! You failed her so she concocted a story about my father being her monster, a story she couldn't get out of her head until she sought her misplaced revenge! She and Justin didn't get to know the truth, who I am and why I have done this but now everyone will know!"

"Your father was a monster," Horatio retorted icily.

Speed finally raised his gun though he struggled to take aim.

BANG!

The man's eyes went wide in shock and attempted and failed to roll down to the bloodstain widening on his chest as he staggered back. "Cops shouldn't shoot first," he gasped out before he fell back to the floor loudly.

"I was just bringing you to justice," Horatio murmured sardonically as he lowered his smoking gun.

* * *

It was close to dawn when Calleigh escaped Ridley's room for a toilet break. Her blue eyes went wide when she saw Horatio, Eric and Speed coming up the hall. Speed was noticeably limping and his jeans' right leg was stained crimson. He was smeared in dirt and in one hand was inexplicably clutching an expensive looking brand of sealed polyester and cardboard cup of tea. Eric was covered in cuts, his right arm was in a sling and unseen were several bandages about his torso. He was coated in a thin sheen of sweat and his eyes were bloodshot. Horatio only looked slightly unruffled, his golden auburn hair was a little out of place, his grey shirt was wrinkled and there were grey dirt marks on his coal black blazer.

"Were the Hell have you all been?" Calleigh snapped loudly as she charged towards them, giving Eric a look of horrified worry and Speed an angry glower. "Eric what happened to you? And you!" She turned her look of fury upon Speed and shoved him in the chest hard with both hands. "Do you have any idea what you have put Ridley through? How could you just take off without a word to her? I thought you were past that!"

"Calleigh-" Speed began a protest.

"Don't!" she snapped. "She had a panic attack, her heart gave out again and they had her in surgery for four hours!"

"Shit," Speed cursed.

"Calleigh," Horatio tried to calm the woman, "we got him."

Calleigh turned her furious blue gaze on him as it filled with shock. "What?" she rasped out.

"He came for me," Eric confessed, his voice hoarse from bruising about his neck, "and Horatio and Speed tracked me down." He gave them a look of gratitude. "Right on time in fact," he said gratefully.

"Oh my God," Calleigh exclaimed as tears filled her eyes, "you guys are so stupid and reckless! Why did no one tell me what was going on?"

"Because you would have worried or tried to take off with us leaving Ridley alone," Speed grumbled. He let out a cry of surprise and anger when the blonde dealt him a stinging slap.

"That wasn't your choice to make!" she snapped angrily. "And you should've stayed with Ridley, do you think it's better you went after him on some personal revenge mission for her and left her terrified that something had happened to you?! She thought he had gotten you Speed! I tried to ring you to assure her but then you wouldn't answer and hours went by without one word! She completely freaked out!"

"I'm sorry," he mumbled as he rubbed at his left cheek with a frown, "but I had to, he hurt her badly and she was terrified with him still out there."

The blonde shook her head wearily. "Oh God guys, I don't know...I'm glad you got him, so glad but shit, look at you all! What happened anyway? Is he in jail? Who was he?"

"He's dead," Horatio answered calmly.

"What?!"

"He attacked and I had to shoot him," he lied calmly, with his mouth and his eyes, an art he was so well practised in even his second-in-command fell for it.

"It's true," Speed backed up his story.

"It's done now," Eric said in relief.

"No it's not," the blonde snapped, "not for Ridley. It's only beginning now, imagine the investigation and all the questions, and how can we prove anything with him dead? Did you get a taped confession? Everyone will want to know why he did it. It can't just be over."

"He did it because he was a madman and we have all the evidence we need," Horatio replied, "his DNA will match to the DNA at our cases, and we have numerous witnesses proving he was in the house where we found all our missing photographs and his DNA will be all over that too. We got the right man Calleigh and it will be easy to prove."

"Still, there's always going to be doubt and questions, Ridley's going to be plagued with this for a long time, we all will but her most of all and she didn't even get him."

"Yes she did," Horatio said firmly, "we would have never identified him if not for Ridley and the world will know that."

"Horatio it's not like you to just shoot someone dead," Calleigh accused, "he should have lived to suffer in jail, people are going to be angry about this." She studied him hard, searching for an explanation or a hint of a lie. "All those families you've denied their closure, they would have wanted to see him properly condemned and locked up. I don't understand, couldn't you have just wounded him? Ridley too, she deserved to see him punished and locked away."

"Ridley's safer with him dead," the redhead answered sternly.

Calleigh folded her arms and demanded, "what aren't you telling me?"

"That Ridley would have been worse off if he had lived," the redhead retorted smoothly. "That's enough for now, I promise I'll explain later but now I would like to see Ridley."

The blonde's frown deepened. "She's not great Horatio," she murmured, "please be careful how you tell her. It's great news that he's finally gone, it really is but there's going to be an aftermath and she really can't handle any more stress." She looked pointedly at Speed as she said this.

"I won't leave her again without telling her Calleigh, I swear," Speed vowed.

"I really don't think you deserve the chance to prove that," she grumbled at him, "she doesn't need your complications Speedle. She needs rest and a lot of therapy."

"Let me talk to her Calleigh, please, let me apologise," Speed said.

"Well I can't really stop either of you," the blonde retorted angrily. She stepped to the side at last and her stern gaze fell on Eric. "Look at you Eric," she said as the tears finally trickled down her cheeks.

"Yes look at me," Eric said with a small smile, "I need a rest, so why don't we get some coffee and I can finally sit?"

Calleigh smiled despite herself and rubbed at her eyes furiously as the tears fell harder. "Alright," she murmured allowing Eric to take her hand and lead her towards the lift.

Horatio entered the room first, holding the door open to allow Speed to limp in behind him. The young man's troubled expression only deepened when he saw Ridley, small and grey with a ventilation mask over her face, and several new tubes linked up to her. He noted with a pang of annoyance that his red shirt and the giraffe teddy had been clumsily discarded to the table, undoubtedly removed when Ridley had to be moved for surgery. He hung back wondering if it was as Calleigh had said, that this latest development was his fault because he had ran off without warning or explanation causing her to fill with fear and anxiety, prompting another breakdown. He knew it had to be true, he had known when he had raced from the hospital to find her attacker that she would worry and fear, of course she would but he had ran the risk anyway assuming Calleigh would calm her and the payoff would be worth it. Now he wasn't so sure, contemplating that Horatio had been the one to shoot, and that maybe it would have been better with Calleigh in his place.

"Calleigh would have panicked at the sight of Eric," Horatio said calmly as he looked back at Speed, seeming to guess at his thoughts, "and could have cost us everything in her worry. More importantly, she might not have noticed the trap, you did."

Speed nodded slowly, unsure if he agreed or not.

Horatio took a seat beside the woman and reached out a hand to stroke her limp hair tenderly. "It's over now sweetheart," he told her gently as he leaned towards her. "You led us to him and he's dead now."

She stirred slightly at his voice and her eyes fluttered open, locking with his soothing stare.

"You're safe," he assured, "the nightmare's over. So now all that's left for you to do is rest and get better."

She gave him a very weak, faint smile and her hand rose shakily up to the mask but she struggled to reach it and was unable to suppress her trembles enough to grasp at it. Horatio helped, moving forward to tug it off.

"Where's Tim?" she croaked.

Horatio smiled as he leaned back and looked Speed's way. "He's right here," he said calmly.

Speed limped forward, the shotgun had packed quite a punch and his right leg had taken half the impact from it. Getting the pellets out had been tedious and of course the doctor had insisted he didn't put pressure on it, tried to get him to take crutches and scorned him for leaving so soon after his minor operation but he hadn't cared, seeing Ridley was more important. "I brought your tea, with honey like you wanted," he said lamely as he showed her the cup.

Her smile widened at that. "Took you long enough," she whispered.

"Well I couldn't get you any old tea," he teased as he sat it down on the table.

"Is everyone okay?" she croaked.

Speed and Horatio both nodded. "Everyone's fine," Horatio reassured.

"Good." She closed her eyes, seemingly satisfied with that. "Thank you," she murmured quietly.

* * *

_Wow almost there guys, can't believe it! Well I hope the payoff was worth the wait, apologies if it wasn't! I really did think about killing Ridley off, felt it would poignant or ironic but she seems to have some fans, which I'm delighted about, so she got to live! Got to be honest the next chapter will be the last and hopefully wrap the fic up! I'm toying with the idea of a sequel and/or prequel so please let me know if that would interest anyone!_

_As always many thanks for the reviews and favs and do keep them coming!_


	22. Chapter 22- The End

Ridley felt a new kind of nervous fear as she allowed Calleigh to brush through her lank hair. Today was checkout today, today was face the press day and today was think about the future day. Ridley wasn't sure which of the three seemed more daunting to her.

"This is your victory," Horatio addressed her warmly as he held out his right hand; palm up to show her stolen badge glinting in it on a loose, silver chain.

Ridley looked down at the silver shield taking in the NYPD logo and her badge number, it seemed foreign somehow, and she was reluctant to touch it, it had done her little good after all.

"You're a detective," the redhead reminded her, "and that is how they should see you."

She reached up to accept the badge with a bandaged hand but the ever present tremble in her hands seemed to worsen, prompting her to frown and drop her palms into her lap harmlessly. The doctors said it was a combination of the damage done to her fingers and shock and assured her that with time and the prescribed painkillers it would eventually pass. Nothing would be permanent according to them except some scarring of course and they expected a few muscles would be stiff now and then, and then there was all mental damage, no one knew when that would pass, if it would. There had been murmurings from the hospital staff about psychiatry but Horatio had quietened them stating the CSI had their own staff for that. No one had pressed Ridley about it since, she imagined because there was complications with Miami versus NYPD, the damage had been done in Miami but Ridley was a New York detective, the NYPD was liable for her not the Miami-Dade CSI.

Horatio leaned forward and slung the chain over her head to hang loosely at her chest. Ridley gave a silent nod of thanks. She was in a wheelchair as was hospital protocol but Horatio had given in to her request for crutches, persuading the hospital staff to provide them at the main doors despite their misgivings. Ridley had insisted that she was going to face the press on foot, determined that she wouldn't completely look like a victim to them. Right now though a victim was exactly what she felt like, small, tired, weak and crippled, helpless in a wheelchair with trembling hands, one of which tried to clutch at a giraffe teddy in her lap.

"There," Calleigh said proudly with a smile as she sat down the brush and came round to Ridley's front to face her. She had brought an outfit in for the woman and helped her dress. Now Ridley wore a silk, cream shirt with gold buttons with a smart, navy blazer and matching trousers, one of only two pairs that Ridley had bothered to bring with her to Miami. The outfit hid most of the bandages, stitches and scars but there was little to be done for the marks on her face despite Calleigh's best efforts with make up or the scarring at her neck. Ridley had pawed at her throat constantly in the hospital like a nervous habit, it was obvious she felt exposed without her necklace but there was nothing to be done about it, they had only recovered two of the gold coins and they were now in a box in Ridley's possession.

The door opened and Eric stepped in followed by Speed. It had been just over two weeks since they had finally caught and eliminated their killer and though their wounds had improved the pair looked shabby, exhausted and fed up. They had been interviewed numerous times by their superiors, stalked by reporters and plagued by calls from New York. Horatio had taken the brunt of the harassment, accusations and demands but of course he couldn't stop Eric and Speed from being questioned about the day in question. No one was willing to risk another screw up over the suburban legends killer; the facts had to be a hundred percent accurate before anyone was willing to accept that the case was closed. It had gotten to the point of Speed storming out of two interviews and threatened with discipline and Eric offering up some choice words of irritation, resulting in similar threats of discipline. Horatio had banished the threats by coolly reminding his superiors that his officers had been injured during the ordeal and deserved some slack.

"Looking good Ridley," Eric praised jovially as he gave a tired smile. He and Speed had come through the side doors of the hospital hoping to sneak in but to no avail, the press were everywhere despite no one allegedly saying that today was the day Detective Moon was going to be checking out.

"Are they out there?" Ridley quipped anxiously.

"Yeah but don't worry," Eric dismissed her fears, "they're not as bad as the New York press."

Speed rolled his eyes before he took a step towards the woman. Horatio stepped back instinctively, allowing Speed to take his place. "I...er...I got you something," Speed muttered awkwardly as he held out an object. It looked a bundle of cloth, thin, finely made and a warm turquoise in colour. As Ridley leaned forward to see it she realised it was a silk scarf with images depicting carousel horses patterning around it.

"Is that a Hermes?" Calleigh gaped as she couldn't resist nosing. "Did you sell your car to pay for that?"

Speed's frown deepened as he shrugged uncomfortably. "It's a scarf," he muttered, "who cares what kind? They all serve the same purpose don't they?"

Calleigh giggled as she remarked, "well it's beautiful."

"It is," Ridley murmured in awe, "thank you. I'd like to wear it," she added quietly as she glanced up at him.

He nodded and fumbled to put it on, scowling when Calleigh laughed as he was incapable of wrapping it properly and seemed to knot it leaving the ends to hang untidily.

"I can fix it," the blonde offered warmly.

"No it's fine," Ridley said quickly as she gave Speed a faint smile. At least she could still keep Hawkes' scars hidden from the world.

"Are you ready to go then?" Horatio queried calmly.

Ridley wanted to shake her head and protest but instead she found herself nodding numbly, unaware as to how she had started shaking and her bloodshot eyes had grown wide.

"Good," Horatio retorted with a small, encouraging smile.

Calleigh started pushing the wheelchair whilst Speed walked by Ridley's side and Eric and Horatio opened the doors and buzzed for the lift. As they all waited in the lift listening to the classical music, Ridley wondered and worried what the questions would be. Of course she would say 'no comment' and that would have to do for today but there would come a point when she would be expected to give answers and explanations that she did not have. A madman Horatio had told her, it was all he, Eric and Speed had told anyone, a nameless madman using several aliases who they were trying to identify. It was a lie they had decided to uphold, the three of them agreeing that the truth would only destroy Ridley both publically and privately, the woman would only blame herself if she knew who the killer had been and never forgive herself and there was every chance the rest of the country would unfairly blame her too. Her career would never recover and her sanity probably wouldn't either. So even though they hated lying to her and Calleigh they all went along with it and vowed that it would always be that way.

As they reached the glass doors where they could see police officers and security staff on the other side keeping the hungry press at bay Ridley winced at the golden light of the afternoon sun catching on the glass. "It's so bright," she murmured as her swollen eyes squinted.

"Here, these will help."

Ridley looked up at Horatio in shock as he held out his ray-bans to her, both of them knowing exactly what it symbolised. She nodded, silently granting him permission to place the sunglasses on her.

As he leaned back the redhead gave a small smile of satisfaction. "They suit you," he said sincerely, prompting her to give a faint smile in response.

She allowed Speed to take her giraffe teddy and help her to stand, unable to help a few gasps and whimpers of pain before she grasped at the clutches Calleigh held out for her. Speed wanted to wrap an arm about her or sling one over her shoulders but he knew she had to hobble out as independently as she could, determined to look as strong as she could to the vultures waiting outside. So he settled for standing by her left side flanked by Eric whilst Horatio stood on her right flanked by Calleigh.

They walked out as a team, moving at Ridley's slow pace, all of them with their badges on display shimmering under the cool autumn sun, which they shielded themselves from with their shades. It made for several impressive photos before they were bombarded with shouts, flashes and some attempts at shoving and elbowing. This led to more than a few glares, some colourful language from Calleigh, and Horatio repeating 'no comment' over and over again like a mantra until it lost all meaning. Ridley didn't say a word and would have frozen up if Speed hadn't gripped her shoulders and turned her in the direction of the waiting car. She wanted to snap 'no comment at them but her throat turned tight and words failed her as she stared at the cameras with dumb fear like a deer in headlights. It was good she had Horatio's glasses on as they kept her frightened stare out of sight and mercifully out of photos.

It took them an excruciating ten minutes to fight through the crowds to salvation and Horatio's car. Calleigh called 'shotgun' out cheerfully and then pulled rank when Eric tried to argue before she jumped into the front beside Horatio leaving Eric to squeeze in beside Speed who was only too happy to elbow him back.

"Give me room man," Eric snapped.

"I am," Speed retorted tauntingly, "it's not my fault you're piling on the holiday weight early."

"You're the one getting fat," Eric retorted childishly, "that's why you got shot, all that extra weight slowing you down."

"Yeah that's it," Speed replied sardonically. "Don't make me hit you with a crutch."

"You heard him H, that was a threat!" Eric cried out as he looked appealingly to their superior.

Horatio just shook his head as he pulled out and tried to navigate around the reporters.

Calleigh turned her head around to give the pair a mock stare of disapproval. "Now boys don't make me come back there," she scolded, "you've got a lady sitting with you, try to act like it."

"Hey Ridley be a good lady and tell Speed he needs to lose weight," Eric jested as he grinned over at the young woman, "if you tell him he might do something about it."

"Okay firstly, I'm not fat," Speed interrupted rudely, "and secondly, why would I do something about if she tells me?" He waved at Ridley with one hand as he spoke.

"Dude she's a hero now, she's not going to date a pig," Eric mocked.

Ridley flushed faintly at Eric's words and pointedly looked at the giraffe teddy back in her lap in her trembling grasp once more.

Speed answered Eric with a painful dig to the ribs before feigning innocence when Eric let out a yell of pain.

"Don't make me turn this car around," Horatio remarked wearily.

"Where are we going?" Ridley queried quietly.

"Back to the lab," Calleigh answered cheerfully. "And then you're going to come and recuperate with me," she added brightly, "so don't you worry about that. I've been wanted to have a girlie night for a while now."

"I..." Ridley looked surprised whilst Speed was visibly annoyed as he glowered at the blonde who grinned back at him harmlessly. "I didn't even think..." She felt salty tears trickling down her cheeks before she could help it. "I...I can't stay at Ruby's...I...I have to go back to New York."

"Not yet," Calleigh protested, "Ridley there's no way you could make that journey."

"I'm NYPD, I think," she added bitterly, "not that I can work...I don't know if they'll let me go off sick or just fire me but I need the sick pay if I can get it or...or the severance, I need a wage to pay my income and...it's case closed," she murmured numbly. "I need...I mean I have to go back."

Horatio glanced at her in his rear view mirror, he had known this would come up he just hadn't expected her to raise the issue so soon. "You're not travelling until you are fit too," he said sternly.

"Exactly," Calleigh remarked with a firm nod, "besides, my place is rent free for you, so don't worry about income for a while."

"A while," she repeated softly. She felt Speed squeeze her right arm and looked up at him expectantly. He seemed sad as well as annoyed and it just confused her. "I'm NYPD," she repeated, "and even if I'm not, I won't be fit to work for a while and then...I don't know." She shook her head helplessly as the tears fell harder.

Speed nodded but his eyes simmered with anger as if he wanted to argue with her but he didn't know what to say. Of course she had to go back, she was right, the case was over and New York wasn't going to pay for her to heal in Miami, they would scorn that as a vacation. She would probably have to fight for her sick pay and her job when she returned to the city but she did need an income, just like everyone else. He supposed cynically that there was a slim chance of them embracing her and welcoming the potential good publicity she might bring for helping to finally solve the case of the suburban killer but he knew it was far more likely that they would quietly retire her due to stress and injury and maybe offer her a desk job out of sight as some lame peace offering.

"We'll figure it out," Speed murmured at last, surprising himself with his attempt to hope.

Ridley nodded, smiling faintly when he rubbed away her tears hastily and gave her a quick kiss of reassurance on the brow before allowing her to lean against his shoulder and close her eyes.

* * *

New York, it was exactly as Ridley remembered it- cold, damp, grim, grey, busy, loud and full of life and crime. She glanced awkwardly at Flack as he tugged his scarf tighter about his neck and looked at her summer scarf pointedly. He had mocked it several times upon seeing it, suggesting that Ridley was into her fashion more than her health and reminding her that a New York winter was not the same as a Miami one before asking her teasingly if the sun and sand had gotten to her brain.

The worry and horror in the detective's eyes upon greeting her at the airport five days ago had been all too clear. He had cursed, scorned Miami for not telling him, scolded Ridley for not telling him and then cursed himself for not knowing, insisting that he would have flown down immediately had he known how bad her attack was. Ridley had nodded, knowing that he would have come to her if he had known she was in hospital, before insisting that she was alright. He had known that wasn't true of course, cursed some more and then taken her home.

Home to a small, forgotten flat in Brooklyn that somehow seemed darker and emptier than Ridley remembered. The thought of once more being alone here had caused her to burst into uncontrollable tears that fell harder when she glimpsed a photo of Ruby and realised her friend would never be visiting again. Flack had embraced her then, pulling her close against his woollen coat and murmured assurances but it had somehow only made things worse, making her miss Speed and his tender embrace. It was strange but for some reason she had really believed Tim when he had told her she was safe and made vows that she wouldn't be alone anymore. Flack's embrace was kind but it just wasn't the same.

The New York detective had been good enough to get Ridley settled in her flat, fetch her fresh soup from the local deli and a new prescription from the pharmacy, and he had then spent the night on her couch, all too aware of her fear of being alone. The next night however she had had no choice but to accept solitude, though Flack had insisted she call him no matter the hour if she needed anything.

As time had passed the loneliness began to settle into familiarity and the palms and golden white beaches of Miami seemed more and more like a dream. When she had finally gone back to the precinct just yesterday it had been to a cordial greeting and even some minor applause, an embarrassed sort of course but it was still an acknowledgement that in New York's eyes she had finally succeeded. Then there had been lengthy interview after interview and she knew if Detective Mac Taylor had not been present she might have eventually cracked up and blown it all with either rage or tears.

At the end of it all there was a conclusion that she had indeed closed the case with major help from Miami and that she was in desperate need of both rest and psychiatric help. She had tried to hide the latter but the whites of her eyes had shown too much and she could not suppress her trembling or the babble in her voice when she tried to describe the killer and failed and ended up bursting into fresh hot tears when they pried about her own ordeal. Yes, a psych evaluation and some much needed regular therapy was in order. She didn't even bother admitting to the screaming nightmares that had her waking up shaking and sweating all over.

Now here she was with Flack concluding the last of her business and wrapping up the case for good. He took her by the arm, helping her limp up the stone pathway on her crutches to a spot she had never seen. She let Flack guide the way, fear, guilt and shame all rolling through her at once. At last they reached it, a smooth, black tombstone with 'Det Justin Silver' carved into it in silver letters along with his date of birth, death and the message- 'Loving husband and partner, he lived and died bravely'. Ridley shook at the words, and felt her sore eyes cry again, burning with each teardrop. "It..it's a nice spot," she choked out lamely.

Flack helped her kneel down to the green stones covering the grave where she breathed in the scent of dying flowers before tugging out a small, black box. She opened it up and glanced down at the two decorative gold coins within before shutting the box again and burrowing it beneath some of the green stones. She had vowed after Detective Silver's death that when his killer was finally brought to justice she would see his grave at last and surrender the coin necklace there and finally let him go. He was dead, he had been dead for three months now and, as she was starting to accept, ending the case wasn't going to bring him back, if anything it was ending yet another tie she had to him.

"You did well," Flack said kindly, "and Justin would be proud, I'm proud of you."

She gave the dark haired male a look of gratitude and allowed him to tug her upright once more. "Thanks Don."

"Do you want to get a coffee?" he offered.

She shook her head sorrowfully. "No thanks, I'm tired and I need to take my medication."

"Right, well I'll run you home then."

* * *

Nine-thirty, Ridley was exhausted and contemplating an early night as she sat on the couch bundled up in a long, dark red male's shirt that smelled faintly of the salty sea air, sand and chestnuts. The television had been on for over an hour but the woman had no idea what she had even watched, it was just a distraction, background noise to keep the loneliness at bay.

She jumped when her front door knocked and looked to it accusingly. BANG! BANG! She wanted to reach for her gun but she couldn't the trembling pain in her hand still hadn't let up and she struggled to hold her crutches, slipping her arms through them and leaning on them as she done since leaving the hospital.

She limped to the door warily, the banging wasn't threatening or repetitive but she couldn't imagine who would be visiting her, Flack was the only one that sprung to mind and he would have called out to her. She paused as she reached the door and leaned up to peer through the eye hole. A gasp of disbelief escaped her as faltered with the chain on the latch before tugging out her key, shoving it in awkwardly and twisting. She then fumbled with the handle with a curse before finally pushing it down and tugging the door open.

"Surprise."

Ridley looked up at Tim in shock before gasping out, "Tim what are you doing here?"

"Well two things," he confessed, "if you want to invite me in." He looked at the shirt she was wearing, his shirt, with approval as it banished his fears that maybe she hadn't thought much of him since returning to the city, that maybe she had dismissed Miami as a bad nightmare.

"Right, come in!" she exclaimed as she hobbled back from the doorway.

He stepped in and glanced about the apartment curiously. It was small, bleak and looked ill-used, framed photographs were all lying face down and the only hints of a personality were the trashy detective novels lying on a wooden shelf and the headless horsemen ornaments sitting beside them. "You don't seriously collect them do you?" Tim queried dryly as he gestured up to them.

Ridley followed his gaze and shook her head with a smile. "It's a quirk," she confessed.

"And there I thought you hated all things supernatural."

"I never said that," she retorted with mock defence before leading the way back to her couch where a wrinkled, cream blanket had been abandoned. She sat down with a wince before setting the clutches to one side with a look of relief.

Tim followed her, continuing to look about as he did, the living room was joint to the kitchen, separated by a low counter that stopped halfway from the front door. Everything in the space looked second hand and most of it seemed practical except for the cuckoo clock and the completely pointless wind chime of gold stars and crescent moons. He finally took a seat beside her on the lumpy, stained, grey couch and then turned to face her calmly.

"So what's the news? Did something happen?" she queried worriedly.

"Yes," he answered calmly as he looked about the room once more, "you have confirmed our suspicions that you had no intentions of celebrating Christmas."

"What?" Ridley looked at him in confusion.

Tim shrugged. "It's not my thing either," he admitted, "but Calleigh had a theory that you probably did celebrate it only this is the first year with...well without Detective Silver and Ruby," he added hastily. "She didn't think you should be alone but was certain you probably would be, and I was pretty certain she was right."

Ridley's eyes began to sting with tears at the mention of Justin and Ruby, the first year without either of them, it was going to be rough and she certainly didn't feel like celebrating. "I..." She bowed her head. "I don't see the point in celebrating by yourself," she murmured.

"Well that's why you won't be, you've had five days in New York, have you had enough yet?" He looked at her with a serious expression. "Is there anything you need more time to do?"

"To do?" she repeated numbly.

"I don't know, friends to see, family, reports to do? Horatio says they've let you go on sick leave."

Ridley nodded. "Yes, just yesterday."

"Uh huh, so is there anything pressing that might keep you here?"

"No," she admitted, "but what's that got to do with anything?"

"I want you to come back to Miami with me," he said, "and so do the others, well actually Calleigh said I shouldn't even share a seat with you on the plane and she wants you to stay in her house for the holidays but screw her."

"I..." Ridley was stunned.

"Also," he continued, "Horatio says if you want you can put in for a transfer and it will be accepted, he's already made the necessary arrangements for it to go through. He said New York doesn't deserve you and if you come back to Miami you won't ever be alone."

"Alone," she repeated as she glanced about her apartment awkwardly. She was alone now, Justin and Ruby were gone and she had no other close friends and no family she wished to speak with. The only thing keeping her here was routine and a guaranteed wage.

"Look, come down for the holidays," Tim urged, "and think about it."

"Do you have a tree?"

"What?" He looked at her curiously.

"Do you have a tree?" she repeated as she looked at him seriously. "You know, a Christmas tree?"

"Er no," he retorted bluntly.

Ridley smiled. "If you agree to get one and let me help decorate it I'll come."

Tim frowned before shaking his head scornfully. "Alright," he gave in, "but I'm getting the window seat on the plane."

"Fine by me."

"Good." He leaned forward and gave her a tender kiss and then murmured, "I'm picking the tree."

* * *

_Oh my gosh that's it finally concluded, I can't believe it! A corny ending but hey Ridley deserved it :-) Wow well thank you to all my amazing reviewers you really kept this story going, I really appreciate all your support and reviews throughout this and I'm so glad you stuck with it and enjoyed it. Thanks for all the reviews, favourites and alerts!_

_As you know I'm thinking of a sequel and I'm curious, what would people like to see in it? I'm thinking of another quirky criminal murderer but I don't know, I mean would that be too repetitive or exactly what you guys want? Please do let me know I appreciate all input! My ideas so far include something similar in theme to the chimera house (a haunted house with thirteen floors) combined with 'And Then There Were None', or fairytale murders. Don't want to go into too much detail in case I do one or the other or both.  
_

_Also, I'm guessing Calleigh/Eric is a must but what about Tim/Ridley? I feel a lot of you warmed to them, I certainly did! What about Horatio? I like hinting at him and Yelina, I always loved that in the show. Also, any other Miami characters you wanted to see in the fic?_

_Let me know your thoughts and hopefully it won't be too long before I start the sequel!_

_UPDATE: The sequel The Wonderland Murders is now on!_


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